Issue No.78
Farewell to Sue Le Riche
Sue Le Riche left
Jersey on Jan 2nd to live Dorset with her son Michael and granddaughter Amy,
age 7. She will be greatly missed as a Circuit Steward, as a local preacher,
as a lay pastoral assistant at La Rocque and as a good friend to many in Jersey.
Sue Fennell first came
to Jersey from Bath at the age of 9, though her father was a Jerseyman and her
Grandfather an RSM in the Jersey Militia. She went to Helvetia and Jersey High
School and attended St. Andrews Church. She trained as a hairdresser before
spending some years raising her family. She restarted work in the Trust
industry, taking offshore banking exams and ending at Barclays. She left when
she married Mark Le Riche, a second wedding for both of them and a very happy
relationship.
She attended St.
Saviours Church and St. George’s Church not very frequently till in 1995 she
attended the first Disciple Course run by Rev. Derek Poole at Bethlehem. This
deepened her faith and led to her starting to train as a local preacher. This
faith was severely tested as Mark died suddenly on January 2nd 2000, but she was
accepted onto full plan in 2002 and did further training on the STETS course at
Salisbury. She served as Local Preacher’s Secretary till recently.
She is going to be near two other grandchildren, Jemma a
little older than Amy and Ben who is 17 months old. Her son Michael Hocquard
will be doing much of the purchasing for the Jersey-based internet company
pentagondirect.com and Amy will be going to Clayesmore Preparatory School.
Her new address will
be 7, Bowey, Okeford Fitzpaine, Blandford, Dorset DT11 0TR. She has not yet
decided where she will travel for worship but will undoubtedly be a welcome
addition to any congregation with her pastoral and preaching experience. We
shall miss her in Jersey and our prayers are with her as she starts a new phase
of her life.
Ed Le Quesne
New minister for the West
Christine Legge
Christine will come to Jersey
in September from the Bude Circuit where she has been since 2002. She became an
LP in 1984. She has a BA Theology and Mission and Certificate in Evangelism and
Mission from Cliff College. She has training in Puppet Ministry and Godly
Play. She is looking forward to sharing in the life of the circuit as part of
the team. She enjoys leading worship in all styles as well as exploring new
ways. She is keen to get alongside people and to work ecumenically. She desires
to make faith relevant to the whole of life.
She
was previously employed by British Rail and the Electricity Industry in a
variety of secretarial and administrative posts.
The
family that will accompany Christine will be a dog, two cats and a budgie. She
is familiar with Jersey, having been on holiday here many times, including this
year when she attended St Aubin. Some of her training was shared with Liz
Hunter and Caroline Homan.
David Coote
Letter from the Super
Dear Friend
I
am very grateful for the many people who contribute to the life of the Jersey
Methodist Circuit and to all the people and Churches that make up its life.
Among the many who serve we owe a great debt to Ed Le Quesne who edits Jersey
Methodist among a myriad of other causes including the invaluable Amos group.
During
2007 we did as a circuit lay down some guiding principles on the use of our
money. Perhaps Wesley's dictum, ‘earn all can, save all you can, give all you
can’ should be applied as much to our shared life together as to our individual
budgeting. The undergirding principle behind the management of circuit resources
is to use them to the best advantage in our Kingdom building work. Circuit
Advance fund money largely derives from the sale of property. It should be used
to stimulate fresh activity in our local churches and not just to maintain.
I personally would like to see every church in the circuit looking
seriously as to how it might employ a youth or family or youth and community
worker in the local context. As long as there is evidence that such a properly
trained or 'willing to be trained' employed person will stimulate fresh ways of
working and outreach then the Circuit Leadership Team would look favourably on
an application from a local church. You may be aware that at the last circuit
meeting it supported the Leadership team's recommendation that Liz Lambotte be
employed as a youth leader at St Aubin and granted what amounted to about a
third of the part time budget for a three year term.
Of
course unless we act with wisdom, then the funds available will rapidly expire
which is why the Leadership Team always has to balance the third part of
Wesley's dictum with the second!
I am excited by innovative
work going on around the circuit. 2008 will be an exciting year if we grasp the
opportunities that God is giving us.
A Happy New Year
David
Children and Youth Ministry at St Aubin
I
look forward with great excitement not only to the start of a New Year but with
eager anticipation to the 1st February when I begin a three year part time
contract as a youth leader for St Aubin's Methodist Church. It is a huge step
of faith for the congregation of St Aubin as they prayerfully support and
encourage the children and youth work that already exists but also as we listen
with open hearts to new challenges and opportunities to show God's love in the
community around St Aubin and further develop a partnership with St Brelade
Youth Project at Communicare.
I
am thankful for the financial support put forward by the Jersey Circuit, the
District Advance Fund and Lloyds TSB which enables me to put my full
concentration and total commitment to the work that I feel God is calling me to
do. I know and understand only too well that some things will be within my
capabilities while many others will be completely out of my comfort zone and way
out of my depth. It seems this fast track roller coaster ride which began from
my decision to leave full time employment as a primary school teacher in 2005
continues as I hold on tight and trust that God is in full control. I have
experienced so many new and exciting ventures over the last two years all
helping me gain knowledge and confidence to carry out the job to the best of my
ability. There have been lows and struggles too but I know that God is in the
driving seat and to him I put my complete trust and focus.
I
ask for your prayers for children and young people for their hearts to be open
and their minds attentive to listening to God's small voice. Let us be thankful
for the imaginative and creative youth work that already exists in the island
and for the many leaders, teachers and helpers now involved in sharing God's
great love. I pray that more and more churches will take our Christian
responsibility seriously and commit to putting more time and money into the
spiritual formation of our young people. Our children are not only the church
of tomorrow but they play a very important and significant role in the church of
today.
Liz Lambotte
Youth Leader St Aubin
Methodist Church
Channel Islands District Review
The
agreed title of the review is “are there better ways for the CI District to work
for the achievement of our mission?”.
John
Bell, former vice-President, has summarised the discussions at the District
Policy Committee (DPC) on December 8th and Jersey Circuit Leadership Team (JCLT)
on December 10th 2007 in a detailed paper.(5 pages long)
Some of the key points.
The
District Chair moves on at the end of the connexional year 2009-2010 (i.e.
August 31st 2010). If an “as is” replacement is to be found, the appointment
process must begin in early Autumn 2008 to enable the nominee to be available
for shadowing during the year 2009-2010: This is in accord with the normal time
scales for district chair appointments. Moreover, a decision to so proceed
commits the CI District for the period 2010 to 2016, as the normal initial
appointment term is six years. The District must also be clear where a Chair
would be stationed in 2010.
The review of district
organisation, in terms of the main choices must therefore be completed by the
end of August 2008. There are effectively only two basic options for district
organisation.
Option A: To retain the
Channel Islands District, or
Option B: To merge with a
mainland district.
Under
option A, there may be ways in which the effectiveness of the existing district
organisation can be improved, particularly around the roles undertaken by the
person who is (currently) District Chair, Circuit Superintendent and local
minister, and whether some activities could be shared with a mainland district.
These need to be assessed before choosing.
Under
option B, there are certainly three possible mainland districts - Southampton,
Plymouth & Exeter, South East - with various claims to natural connections.
In
choosing A or B, it would seem prudent only to go for option B if it expected to
deliver clear, desirable and significant benefits. If the balance is 50:50, or
even slightly in favour of B, the upheaval in changing is probably not
worthwhile.
Whilst
the decision to select option A must be taken by August 2008, work on changing
the district organisation can proceed beyond that
Future time scales and
meetings
2008 February 2nd CI DPC -
to receive/prepare proposals for decision-making, based on this paper and any
further discussions by then
Before April Synod - (extra)
Circuit Meetings to discuss proposals (Jersey on April 17th)
April 18th CI DPC
April 19th CI District Synod
September DPC may be a Synod
if needed
Other principles and issues
The Stationing Review Group reporting to Conference
2008 is recommending favourable terms for all the Island Districts, and would
also suggest similar arrangements if they were part of mainland districts.
Do
we need districts at all? Conference 2007 agreed to defer any general review of
districts until “five years' time or so” (i.e. not before 2012), in order that
districts could focus until then on enabling circuits to restructure.
There
is also a view expressed privately - note, not a policy - that in the longer
run, one layer from districts and circuits will disappear altogether, and that
the Methodist Church will have a single unit between Connexion and church,
generally larger than present circuits and smaller than districts. What is the
realistic present role of the CI District? Is unnecessary work done? Who values
the district?
The
same person is District Chair, Circuit Superintendent and circuit minister - the
so-called “trilemma” a challenging, sometimes difficult, position but maybe
there is no real alternative.
If
the CI joined a mainland district, what models of oversight could be used to
ensure that the CI would not be neglected? The islands are not part of the UK
and do not send MPs to Westminster. Being part of a mainland Methodist district
would sit uneasily against this background.
Methodist
Church and the ministers play distinctive roles in the life of the islands, in
some aspects quite unlike their counterparts on the mainland. There is concern
that these aspects would not be appreciated within a mainland district. Critical
matters relating to governance, finance and law may be missed, such as in the
case of Network becoming a UK charity - this is part of the uniqueness of the CI
that might be overlooked
Being
a District is a source of power and influence. The CI District currently enjoys
full representation in the courts and councils of the Methodist Church (mainly
Conference, Methodist Council, Connexional Leadership Team): if it became part
of a mainland district, this would be largely lost.
The
strong island identity of the Anglican deaneries appears to generate a positive
contribution to mission. How can the CI Methodist Church make the most of its
ecumenical opportunities?
This summarises the paper.
The discussion is at an early stage and no one brings to it any preconceived
outcomes or pressures. To see the full paper please
contact the circuit office
728900 or e-mail
circuit.office@jerseymail.co.uk. Comments and reflections are welcome and
should be sent to Rev. David Coote.
Ed Le Quesne
News from Samares
The congregation at Eastern
Good Companions on Sunday, May 20th, 2007
This
was their first time they began to hold their Sunday worship in the Rotary
Eastern Good Companions club premises (EGC). Situated there between the Le
Marais / Le Squez developments “we are so well placed to begin a responsible
outreach to the area. Our relationship to Rotary continues to grow and I am
so grateful to Rotarian John Reed and his committee for their confidence in us.”
said Rev. Henry Le Ruez
Church activities are
described below.
Baby Buzz
Miriam Higginson
This
Parent and Toddler group started in January and numbers have grown, so sometimes
as many as 30 adults and children are present. From 9.30 there is free time for
children to play while adults chat over tea or coffee. There is also a table
for colouring and craft work and drinks and snacks for the children to enjoy.
At
11, we tidy the toys away and enjoy some lively music on CD called ‘Jump for
Jesus’ which has us jumping, hopping and clapping. It is so popular it has
become our theme tune. We then relax with story time and singing songs before
bringing the morning to a close by having fun with lots of soft coloured balls.
Miriam Higginson
Grace Trust
This
Island based charity seeks to help the needy of our island. Samares’ role is to
pack food items each month, which are distributed locally to people selected by
St. Clement Parish Welfare. The delivery is co-ordinated by Oasis Church, who
collect the packed items from the church on a Saturday morning. A leaflet is
enclosed giving details of both Samares and Oasis churches. Occasional letters
of thanks are received.
Andrew Bird
Coffee Buzz
This
is open on Friday mornings offering home made cakes and fresh tea and coffee.
All ages are welcome, getting to know people and offering friendship
Eileen Le Ruez
Tuesday afternoon Bible Study
Monica and Andrew Bird
This
group generally meets at the home of John Le Cornu and uses course material
called ‘The life of Christ’. The group starts with a chat and a piece of cake
before moving on to the study. Other issues often arise during the study and
different perspectives are shared in a lively but relaxed way.
Andrew Bird
Portuguese House Group
It
has been a very positive year. We have learned a little more how to live, talk
and to be in this world. We have studied Proverbs, Psalms and now Acts. A
blessing to us all. The house group is very solid and we hope to increase next
year in numbers.
Mario Reis
Property
The
platform at the front of the church has been reduced to allow more tables to be
fitted in. The majority of the PA system has been transferred to EGC. To
integrate it with the existing system, both systems needed upgrading.
Stephen Higginson
Sunday School
Subjects
covered this year have included creation and Old Testament characters such as
Noah and Abraham. Worship has also occasionally been included for example using
‘sing along’ DVDs. Attendance is usually between 10 and 16 children, age range
7 to 15. Ian Alder and Monica Bird have been the key teaching staff, with
occasional help from others. Ian has now returned to the Baptist Church full
time, so the need for additional teaching staff to develop this work remains
important.
Andrew Bird
Men’s Bowling Group
This
group was started by Danny Desbois and meets once a month on a Monday at Jersey
Bowl. Men from various churches meet socially and enjoy an evening out. In the
summer we hold a mixed bowling evening, where women as well as men are welcome.
Shaun Perchard
HMP La Moye
As
Henry Le Ruez is a member of the Prison Chaplaincy team, the church has come
alongside an ex prisoner in support following his release. Also Mario Reis is
visiting twice a week, particularly the Portuguese inmates and hopes to begin a
Portuguese Bible study as soon as possible.
Rev. Henry Le Ruez
Tel 481335
Andrew Bird
07797 732996
Requests for prayer are
received from as far as Singapore and the USA and prayers offered at the weekly
prayer meeting and at Sunday worship. The church has a website
www.samares-methodist.org.
This is an edited version of
the first Annual report from Samares
News from the outlying Parish of St Ouen.
The Sunday School outing took
place on 9th September. The children, teachers and a number of our congregation
set off after the morning service in lorries gaily decorated with streamers and
balloons, followed by a 'splittie' camper van which contained more people and
large quantities of food. After a short drive through St Peter and St Brelade
the lorries stopped on the Five Mile Road for an excellent faith lunch and
games, and then went on a longer drive, waking up the neighbourhoods through
which we passed, arriving back at church about an hour before the evening
service.
The Sunday School
Anniversary was on 18th November when the children displayed their beautiful
artwork and took part in the service led by Dr Nola Webster. This year the
young people's Christmas treat will be a visit to the pantomime 'Dick
Whittington'.
A very successful
bazaar was held in the Parish Hall on 1st December and it was a great pleasure
to welcome so many members and friends from other churches. The following day
was the occasion of our Church Anniversary and we had a special morning service
in which many members of the congregation took part, including the children.
The service was led by Mr Nick Owen and included a moving tribute by Hugh Lince
on the life and work of Charles Wesley to celebrate the tercentenary of the
birth of Charles Wesley.
Valerie Remon
Share through Prayer
The “Share through
Prayer” group has met regularly at 10:30 a.m. on the first and third Monday of
each month. Requests for prayer are posted on prayer leaves and pinned on the
tree in the church; these leaves are changed each month.
The main aim of the
group is to pray for the life and ministry of the Church Fellowship in St Ouen
and to build up a spirit of love and co-operation within the Parish. We have
enjoyed times of spiritual refreshment, blessing and answered prayer through
meeting in this informal way. Please do join us; you will be most welcome!
John Carnegie
A further Tribute to Rev Malcolm Bailey
It was with great
sadness that the congregation at St Ouen learned of the sudden death of their
minister Rev Malcolm Bailey on 31 August, exactly one year after his ministry
with us began. Malcolm was an energetic and effective minister who preached an
authentic gospel message and communicated the scripture in an exciting and
illuminating way. He guided us through some familiar, but difficult theology
surrounding the cross and the Resurrection, and added considerably to our
understanding of these key issues of faith.
Malcolm was also an
outstanding pastor, whose love for his people was evident to all who met him.
His leadership at St Ouen inspired our recently established prayer fellowship
“Share through Prayer”, breathed new life into evening services and planted the
seeds of revival at our church. The church Malcolm left behind is stronger,
more vibrant and growing in numbers and in faith, as a direct result of
Malcolm's ministry.
We all admired
Malcolm's sensitivity and his commitment to God's work. It was a privilege to
be among his flock and to share the work with him. All of us thank God for
Malcolm's ministry and his time with us. Our thoughts and prayers are with
Charmaine, daughters Cheryl and Lindsay, Malcolm's mother and all the family.
Nick Owen
OHP/OAP
An overhead projector
is often referred to as OHP. Confusion with the term OAP is a bad idea, as
discovered by a man in one of our local churches who announced the following:
'I have been
going through the OAPs in our church and it has become clear to me that many of
them are simply no use to us any more. They are elderly, shabby, difficult to
understand, poorly put together, old fashioned and often theologically unsound.
Some of them are literally falling apart.
I have weeded out a number of these redundant OAPs and I
suggest that we store them in the church cupboard until the autumn.
Have a look through if
you wish, and feel free to take home any that you fancy, otherwise I shall
dispose of them on the church bonfire.'
from Adrian Plass's book A-Z of Christian life
Preaching Truths and telling stories
On Saturday November
10th, local preachers met at Georgetown for an in-service day with two visitors
from UK.
Judith Rossal spoke
about some stories she had heard in church that made her cringe. For example a
little star going all round the universe before finally reaching the stable or
detailed descriptions of the packing of the lunch box of the lad with 5 loaves
and 2 fishes before a brief encounter with Jesus. She said that Christian
ethics is not about “Thou shalt” or “Thou shalt not” but should be about
‘rightly envisioning the world’ Spirituality is about being alive and
responding to God in the world not just to the world.
People like to
identify with people, which evokes emotion in a way that a set of statements
doesn’t. However stories should have some tension, where you can’t quite see
where they are going till the conclusion. Judith suggested to preachers that
they keep a book of good stories that can be used at an appropriate time.
In a second session,
Judith said that before the Reformation, worship was imaginative, as most people
couldn’t read and they lived in a world where much was unexplained. They were
surrounded by stained glass windows and other art that told the Christian
story. After Martin Luther and others, worship became much more words based
with a professional at the front., who interpreted the message.
The Reformation in the
16th century also gave the message that God could speak directly to individuals
and in time it set people free from serfdom, though that consequence was not
seen at the time.
The emerging church
now tries to be relevant to today’s culture and is forced to go back to church
history and the Bible to find out the central truths. Our culture doesn’t use
the idea of sin and panders to the self-esteem of an individual, while the
church speaks of evil and confession. There is a tension between those who
believe that people are fallen and need saving and those who see people as
pilgrims on the way but always with human fallibility. Judith is developing
her ideas during her sabbatical from her post at STETS, the theological college
in Salisbury that has trained several Jersey preachers including Sue Le Riche,
organiser of this in-service day.
Sonia Woolley
emphasised that our voice is created by brain, body and face and we need to
think about all three and remember to smile. She gave us some exercises to
relax our body. We had to say similar words to convey different emotions just
by the tone of our voice. We had to try to get our tongues round some tongue
twisters. This was all done in a single group.
After a good lunch we
had, each in turn, to either deliver part of a sermon that we had brought with
us or read a passage from the Bible. She gave helpful hints and words of praise
to each of the dozen preachers and ministers present. All agreed it had been a
good day and thanked Sue Le Riche and June Le Rossignol for making the
arrangements. Worship leaders were present for some sessions
Ed Le Quesne
The twelve days of Christmas at Georgetown, December 2007
Betty Brooke’s Saturday Special once said “from 1558
till they were emancipated in 1829, Catholics in England were not permitted to
practice their faith openly. During that era this Carol was written as a
catechism for young Catholics”. However, some research on the web shows that
the above explanation is almost certainly untrue. See
The Carol has two levels of meaning -a surface level and a
hidden level for all Christians. The ‘true love’ refers to God Himself. The
‘me‘ who receives the presents refers to every baptised person, i.e. the
church. The partridge is Jesus Christ. Christ is represented as a mother
partridge in memory of the expression of Christ’s sadness over the fate of
Jerusalem. “How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does
her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so” Partridges feign injury to
protect their nestlings.
This display was made by the Friendship club, who meet on
Monday evenings and who organised the various groups at the church to provide
the exhibits.
The two turtle doves represent the Old and New
Testaments and was made by the Neighbourhood Club, an active group of elderly
people, who meet every fortnight on Wednesday afternoons
The three French Hens stood for faith, hope and love
and were made by the Toddlers group who meet on Fridays with their carers.
The four calling birds represent the four gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The figures were made by Plat Douet School, who
held their Carol Service in the church on December 17th.
The five Golden Rings recall the Torah or Law, given
in the first five books of the Old Testament, and was made by Network, who meet
fortnightly on Wednesday afternoons.
The six Geese a-laying stand for the six days of
creation. It was made by the Parent and Toddlers group. Two photos on
display show the groups who meet on Monday and Wednesday mornings.
Here are the five gold rings
The seven Swans a-swimming represent the sevenfold
gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation,
contribution, leadership and mercy. The Swans were made by the Boys Brigade.
The eight maids a-milking mark the eight Beatitudes. It
featured John Curwood’s cow’s head and a picture of eight members of the
neighbourhood club, dressed in Jersey bonnets and with a Jersey cow on Eileen Le
Sueur’s farm!!
The nine ladies dancing represent the nine fruits of
the Holy Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. They were made by the Girls Brigade
The ten Lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments. They
were made by the Activity Group who meet on Sunday mornings. The children were
photographed dressed in rich clothes.
Eight above and nine and ten below.
The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful
disciple, shown here as eleven flying angels. They were made by the Wednesday
groups which meets on alternate Wed evenings.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolised the twelve points
of belief in the Apostles’ Creed. The display was made by church steward,
Gladys Renouf. who set the drummers in an Alpine village
Ed Le Quesne
Trek Vietnam Challenge
On a regular visit to
Jersey Hospice in the summer of 2006 I happened to mention in passing that I'd
spent my holiday walking in Jersey. Before I knew what had happened I was
signed up for the Trek Vietnam Challenge 2007, which at the time sounded fun and
something different to do. In reality it was both those things and more.
As a member of the
Hospice Chaplaincy team I was more than happy to get involved with something
that would raise money for a cause that is close to my heart, maintain the
profile of Jersey Hospice around the community, and at the same time challenge
myself physically. November 2007 seemed a long way off when my arm was twisted
in August 2006 but it soon came round - a bit too soon really! I'd started off
really well with my training but for the three months before we left instead of
picking up the pace I rather dropped off the scale all together! So fitness was
a bit of a worry as we gathered at Jersey Airport on 9th November. Thankfully
the fund raising hadn't proved to be so erratic and I have so far raised £3,250,
of which £2,800 was given in memory of Rev Derrick Mellor. This might be the
ideally opportunity for me to thank all those who sponsored me and offered their
encouragement and support along the way.
So, back to Jersey
airport. We winged our way (28 trekkers and 60+ cyclists) to Gatwick and then
on to Heathrow, where our paths split and most of the cyclists departed for
Vietnam via Kuala Lumpur whilst we intrepid walkers headed for Hong Kong.
(There were no direct flights to Hanoi). A day sightseeing in Hong Kong sort of
helped to get us acclimatised and then it was off to Hanoi and from there a 3
hour bus journey to the Pu Long Nature Reserve, where our adventure was to take
place!
And it was an
adventure in so many ways. We were a group of people who knew very little about
each other before we left Jersey, most of us had never met before. And we were
from very different backgrounds and experiences. Just getting to know each
other, interacting with all our different moods and needs, our physical
abilities and our senses of humour - that was an adventure.
Liz on the trek
Then there were the
domestic arrangements - thin mattresses on the floor with a lumpy quilt to wrap
around you and a sleeping bag liner to sleep inside of. The liner was the only
thing that remained with us as all our bedding and other supplies travelled
around in a support truck so we were never guaranteed to get the same quilt.
Nor did we have individual rooms! One large living area in stilted local wooden
house where the family would give up their home to us, a different village each
night. A means of earning an income for them, an adventure for us!
And then there was
the actual walking. We trekked through an amazing variety of terrains. Dried
up stream beds, the banks of paddy fields, the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Some days it
was just slightly undulating, on one day we walked up and up until we had
reached a point almost the equivalent of the height of Ben Nevis! We crossed
rivers, walked through local markets, watched rice being harvested, played
football with local school children and laughed and sang and had the best
adventure you could imagine! It was wonderful. Our eight days
trekking ended all too soon and we were back in Hanoi for some rest and retail
therapy before heading back to Jersey. And Hanoi was another adventure……!!
If you'd like to
know more Liz Hunter will be speaking about her trip at St Helier Methodist
Centre on Friday 25th January at 2 pm following the regular Friday lunch there.
If you would like her
to come and share her experience with a group in which you are involved please
contact her on 739906.
A STORY OF CHINA
It now seems a
lifetime ago when as minister of our Richmond Chapel in Penzance I first met
Kathie Warren and her niece Mona Warren. Kathie, by now well on in years, took
us to China with her graphic stories of her life in in that country as part of a
famous missionary family. She had been born in China and grew up there through
hard and tumultuous times. Though she was part of our Christian family in
Penzance her heart and soul were still part of the China she loved. It was
there she really belonged.
I met this
extraordinary spirit again recently. Not in the flesh this time but through a
piece written in the Methodist Recorder recommending a book just published by a
Mrs. Mary Shaeff living in Saltash. It is a fascinating and well researched
book telling the story of our Church in China as it was in the last century.
The tale relates in particular to two families called Warren and Watson who
through successive generations lived and worked in Hunan Province in central
China. When I first contacted Mrs.Shaeff I was surprised and thrilled to learn
that she was a sister to Mona Warren and another niece of Kathie.
The story covers the
period relating to the collapse of the old dynastic rule. How the Chinese
struggled to hold their nation together under Sun Yat Sen and then Chiang Kai
Shek. The developing struggle between the Nationalist forces and the growing
Communist Party. The long period of Japanese occupation during the Sino-Japanese
War (1937 -45). Finally the communist control of the country under Mao Zedong.
The whole of this period was one of conflict and struggle.
In this book you see
China through the eyes of those who lived there as Europeans, and who had grown
to love and be loved by many Chinese people. It is a picture of a world few of
us know anything and a moving account.
If you want a little
local interest, included is an account from a recent visit made by Mary Shaeff
with as party of folk who belong to "Friends of the Church in China". Amongst
places they visited was an old missionary hospital in Zhaotong (we used to spell
it Chaotong). This was the old Bible Christian's area of work. I quote from
her account "Then came a visit to a hospital founded very early in the
missionary era...after that we saw the broken remnants of the missionaries
gravestones. After these had been smashed during the Cultural Revolution the
local Christians had collected the pieces, possibly going at night to pick up
all they could find. I found it very moving to see the way these were preserved
in a room at the Church". I hope you Jersey folk who read this realise that
among those broken stones are probably the remains of your own Dr. Lilian
Grandin's grave.
The book is entitled FROM TORTOISE HILL.(A story of China)
Obtainable from: Mrs. Mary Shaeff, 58, Callington Road, Saltash, Cornwall. PL12 6DY
Cost: £10 (inc. p & p)
Tom Nicholas
Signing (sic) Carols!
A study in concentration as Barbara Coote, centre, and
Marcia Lee are part of a group signing Christmas Carols in the Precinct during
one of the Thursday shopping evenings. They were part of a choir of over a
dozen people, coached by Pat Bougeard, during the previous weeks, supporting
her deaf ministry.
From Matamata, N.Z. church weekly notes...
A church minister was visiting an elderly lady who had
difficulty in getting to sleep at night.
Minister: ”What do you do - count sheep?”
Elderly lady: “No, I talk to the Shepherd.”
Daryl De Gruchy
Daryl retired from active local preaching in the
summer of 1993 when she had a stroke. In the same year her friend Joy Remphrey
had a heart attack and also retired. Joy died in 2000. Daryl still lives in
their cottage in Patier Road with lively dog Robby and has fully recovered from
the effects of the stroke. Her memoirs were printed in 4 successive editions
of the SHMC magazine and are printed below.
Daryl’s memoirs
I’ve lived a long time
and it’s one of the perks of older years that one can indulge in reminiscence
and re-enjoyment of the ‘good old days’.
Early life
Life for me began at
13 Old St John’s Road, lived in by my family, my aunt & uncle and their family,
and also Granny Louisa. It was a happy home and the children playing in the
garden were conspicuous because three of us were redheads. The exception was
Pat, dark-haired and full of fun, who was usually blamed for our collective
mischief.
Memories of my first
home are small and an odd mixture:- the pump in the back yard (no indoor water
supply); doses of cod liver oil and malt in the winter; Dad lighting the gas
mantle in the evenings; paddling on West Park beach; shopping with Mum at
Cheapside. All the shops have changed since then, except for the chemist, run
then by Mr South ( Methodist local preacher).
But the happiest of
these early memories are of the annual holiday at Corbiere. Dad rented a bungalow on the hill above Petit Port and each June we
walked down to the station at West Park and travelled to Corbiere by train.
There were picnics on the turf outside the bungalow, time spent on the beach at
Petit Port and La Pulente. Sometimes we stood on the veranda watching the
mailboat crossing St Ouen’s Bay.
The Old St John’s
Road chapter ended in 1935. Our cousins moved to First Tower and we made our new home in Clubley Estate. My first home is still
there, in spite of much redevelopment in that corner of town. When I pass
through Cheapside, I can see the old house and the memories return.
Occupation times
It was in 1935 that we
moved to Clubley. The estate was brand new then and we were the first family to
move in. Five years later the Occupation started and, surprisingly perhaps,
memory recalls stability and many pleasures. It was our parents of course who
bore the burden of anxiety during those difficult years. The strong links with
our First Tower cousins continued. During term time, Mark and Pat would arrive
early at Clubley, bringing a can of soup for their lunch. Later, we met again
around the dining table, swapping tales of life and fun at our respective
schools. Happy memories. By contrast, one awful day, I hurried down the avenue
carrying the pan of vegetables for our meal, collected from the communal bakers’
oven. In my haste I tripped - disaster - but, within minutes, neighbours were on
our doorstep offering food. Such was the generosity so frequently shown in those
lean years. Occasionally the copper in our wash-house was used by a neighbour
for making sugar beet syrup. Each time a welcome jar of syrup was added to our
meagre food cupboard. The copper, used pre-war for laundry purposes, was never
the same again.
School days were
uneventful. All subjects were ably taught, including German (compulsory). My
worst subject was Art - well, we can’t all be artistic. The summer terms ended
with the performance of a Shakespeare play. I’ve never been a fan of Shakespeare
and acting was definitely not my forte. By 1945 we were regularly weighed, and
banned from games if we lost weight. In the end we were attending school
mornings only.
At Grove Place, my
church home, Sunday School, Junior Church, Anniversaries and Sunday services
all laid a firm foundation. It was during the Occupation that I took my first
steps in Christian Discipleship - the most important decision I’ve ever made and
it’s one I’ve never regretted.
Working life
Fifty years ago I
started working at the Airport. I was replacing the full-time shorthand typist
in the Commandant’s office, who’d recently left. There was also a part -timer.
On my first day I was surprised to find the office empty. The part-timer had
also left!
And so began the most
rewarding years of my working life. I loved the wide open spaces, the bustle,
the thrill of watching planes rising into the air, seemingly without effort. I
enjoyed the work - much of it pounding a typewriter; letters, reports, memos, instructions, staff rosters, statistics piled up in
the Out tray, while reams of paper flowed from the duplicator. I was also tea
and coffee maker and guardian of the petty cash.
There were daily
deliveries of post and memos to other Airport departments, and the hazard of
serving tea on a heavy silver tray when the Committee met in the Commandant’s
office. The staff were great and, in those far off days, there was no talk or
threat of terrorism.
Then there were the
VIP visits. Just one memory; the Royal visitor was due to have refreshments in
the boss’s office. Flowers were to be on display and a silver vase had been
loaned for the occasion. It leaked; but help was at hand. Someone produced
chewing gum and the tiny hole was plugged; unnoticed, I’m sure, by the royal
eye.
In my lunch hours, I
walked the lanes of St Peter and in summer sunshine, I relaxed on the dunes,
serenaded by larks carolling overhead.
Eighteen years after
stepping into an empty office, I said my farewells to the Airport. It was time
to move on and I left with a host of good memories.
Retirement hobbies
It was while I was
working at the Airport that I started bird watching. With binoculars in hand a
new dimension was added to lunch hour walks. I soon learnt that there were many
more birds flying around than just sparrows. Always there’s been the possibility
of a surprise - a heron flying overhead when scootering up Beaumont Hill;
looking through a window and seeing a tree creeper weaving its way purposefully
up a tree trunk; a kingfisher flying past when sitting on rocks at the Dicq; and
ever the hope of seeing a duck or goose, new to me, sailing by in Queen’s
Valley.
Several years after
bird watching began, I extended my horizons to wild flowers. Flowers have an
advantage over birds - they don’t fly away while I’m trying to identify them.
Discovering a ‘new’ flower is always a pleasure. I remember finding a member of
the dandelion family while holidaying in Scotland. I ticked it in my flower
book, only to find later that it bloomed in the churchyard at the foot of my
road. There’s a wealth of beauty to be found on old walls, the dunes, cliffs,
hedgerows, fields. Dog walking provides opportunity for making new discoveries,
and Robbie is very patient at such delays on his travels.
I’m now looking at
trees, which present a double challenge - identifying them by their trunk as
well as by the leaves. For me one of winter’s lovely sights is to look at a
leafless tree standing proudly erect against a wintry skyline. This winter, with
so many trees leafless, I must concentrate on the evergreens.
What a wonderful
creation God has given to us to explore, enjoy and respect.
Daryl De Gruchy
The Rosebud
It is only a tiny rosebud, A flower of God’s design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers Is not known to such as
I.
GOD opens this flower so easily,
But in my hands they die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud, This flower of God’s
design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?
So I’ll trust in God for leading Each moment of my day
I will look to God for guidance
In each step of the way.
The path that lies before me, Only my Lord knows.
I’ll trust God to unfold the moments,
Just as he unfolds the rose.
Source unknown, from SHMC magazine
Thanks, goodbye & God bless you
On Sunday 21 October
Mamaria (we called her ‘Maria’) expressed her thanks to SHMC members for the
friendship and fellowship she had found with us over the last 4 years. It was
her last Sunday with us before she returns to her home in South Africa. She was
carrying a small South African flag (well SA had just won the Rugby World cup!)
-a flag made up of many colours, she said, but a togetherness, sadly, not yet
reflected in her country. She was glad to have spent time in Jersey and to
experience no problems for people of different cultures living, working &
worshipping together. She sang in her lovely clear voice of her love for us and
her deep thanks to God for his continuing presence in her life. It was very moving.
After worship, a cake
was shared, and again Mamaria sang to us. She gave Liz a card and this is what
she wrote inside:-
“to The Reverend & Congregation SHMC. I could not just
walk away. I could not just simply leave without thanking you my spiritual host.
When I arrived here I was lonely, worried depressed and felt lost, like a
drifting soul. You welcomed me so warmly, showed me so much love I never
expected from people of a different culture. You supported and cared for me so
much that I can’t find words enough to say thank you. God used you as channels
through which his love, mercy and grace flowed to reach the deepest part of my
being. The words I listened to from the pulpit as well as reading the Magazine,
strengthened, nurtured me and made it possible for me to survive in Jersey. I’m going back home with something
that no one can ever take away from me (The power of the holy spirit and a
living testimony- that with God by one’s side and wonderful friends like you,
nothing is impossible).
Thank you all very much. I pray that St Helier Methodist
Christian Church grow from strength to strength. Continue the good work. May God bless you all
with good health as well as your families.
Thank you.
Mamaria Moroe
Thanks for the ‘5’ five words on the cross - the blood that
cleansed us all. To be used for the Glory power of God.
-Bye-”
She goes home with the love and blessing of us all. We
will not forget her.
(Ma)maria on Harvest Sunday, wearing Nance’s floral hat,
which went so well with her own African dress. In so many ways she brought colour to SHMC
whenever she was there.
John Langley 23 Oct 1923 - 14 Oct
2007
John Langley was
married to Barbara, sister of Peggy Tostevin. His family ran Donaldson’s music
shop at the bottom of Belmont Road, now a Spar!. Barbara and John escaped from
Jersey by boat from Rozel in October 1944, landing in Carteret, where the
Americans had arrived. Barbara was quite a celebrity being the only Jersey born
woman to actually effect an escape from the island!
After the war, John
worked in his father’s music business and became an accomplished piano and organ
tuner. However in 1953 John and Barbara with their 2 boys, Stephen and Timothy,
emigrated to New Zealand. Around 1958 John was called to the ministry of the
Methodist Church, serving in several parishes till he retired in 1988
Throughout his ministry he continued to take an active interest in pipe organs
and he rebuilt 18 pipe organs in New Zealand.
John was also an
inaugural member of Lifeline (a telephone counselling service similar to the
Samaritans) and was instrumental in setting up 3 Lifeline Centres in N.Z. This
special work made an impact on many lives wherever John worked and preached.
He was an amazing
person - a complete person. He was handsome, he was talented, he was physically
strong and yet showed real gentle understanding, empathy and compassion towards
any who sought his help and advice. His faith in his Heavenly Father was strong,
and he was loved by all.
After retirement
Barbara and John moved to Picton, to a beautiful waterfront apartment. They were
not far from their younger son Timothy who also had been in the ministry for a
number of years. John’s health had been deteriorating for the last
few years and he had been admitted to a care home. It was with great sadness we
learnt of John’s death on 14th October. A light has gone out for my New Zealand
family but his memory will stay with them and with the many whose lives he
touched both in New Zealand and here in Jersey.
Libby Farnon (John’s Goddaughter)
Edited from SHMC magazine
St. Helier get new chairs
The new, blue, stacking chairs
have arrived and look very smart in the foyer/coffee area. They replace the
brown, stacking chairs which have given some 15+ years of service but which had been looking very
tired and tatty for some while. Thank you to those who contributed directly to the cost of
the chairs. The balance of the cost came from half the proceeds of the Autumn Fair.
Water, water everywhere and...... (no heating!)
St. Helier had a
serious water pipe burst under the building in the area of the nursery kitchen
in the Autumn. This resulted in it being impossible to have any heating in the
Centre. By dint of buying and borrowing electric heaters, the nursery rooms and
other essential areas have been kept warm. The nursery kitchen & laundry had to
be relocated - the laundry to the Art room and the fridges to the Youth room,
while all food preparation & washing up took place in the church kitchen. The
nursery staff were very adaptable in this difficult time and so far there have
been no major conflicts over the use of areas. The nursery parents have to
deliver and collect their children from the front of the Centre as there is no
access to the building from Vauxhall Street.
A big thank you also
goes to Teresa and Pauline who have responded to all the extra changes and
inconvenience with cheerfulness.
Norman is keeping in close contact with the engineer,
plumbers and insurance assessors and there is now heat again. (In fact, on Sunday 25 November,
worship was held in the hall and the electric heaters had to be turned off as it got too warm!!
Someone was even heard to remark that we ought to have worship in the hall more
often as it was ‘cosier’ - the hall was packed. For those who spent some time
moving furniture down from the church and then back again afterwards, this may not be too attractive an idea!)
From SHMC magazine, December 07
book review
Horrible Histories – Horrible Christmas
by Terry Dreary and Martin Brown
If you are ever stuck for a
Christmas gift for a young man of your acquaintance then bear this book in
mind. To compliment their unique series of books documenting world history in a
way designed to appeal to the minds of 7 – 11 year old boys (and according to
many teachers having a very positive affect) this team have brought out a book
telling the slightly more “bah, humbug” elements of the festive season.
With a mixture of
quizzes, stories and cartoons there is a healthy irreverence in tone, whilst
being incredibly informative. Did you know that as early as 1880 the Post Office
was asking people to ‘post early for Christmas’? Even before then the increase
in mail had been noticed.
“In 1871 a miserable newspaper was complaining that
Christmas cards filled the post offices and held up important business letters
(e-mail hadn’t been invented). By 1873 the first adverts were appearing in the
newspapers saying: ‘Mr & Mrs Blank will NOT be sending cards this year but wish
all their friends a Merry Christmas’.”
Whilst exploring the
myths and traditions around Christmas the book is never derogatory about what is
at the heart of the festivities – the birth of Christ. In fact having looked
through the book I have a better understanding of many elements of our
traditions and how they link in with my faith. The final page of the book
encourages the children to consider the true spirit of Christmas.
So if you know of
anybody who needs reasons for not eating their sprouts this year, or who wants
to know more about mistletoe – this would be a great gift. The book also comes
with a free CD that contains yet more stories and trivia.
Happy Christmas.
Helen Toole
An English law of 1551 says that everyone must go to church
on Christmas Day on foot! That is still the law. So if you ride to church
perhaps the punishment would be to sit through a 5 hour sermon while your
Christmas dinner gets burnt?!
DISCIPLE
It's hard to believe
that we are almost half way through the DISCIPLE courses which began back in
September. On a Monday evening 14 people are committed to DISCIPLE 1 - a
chronological study of the Bible Genesis to Revelation, and all stops in
between! Hosted by St Ouen Methodist Church the group represents five different
churches and has brought people together whose paths might otherwise never have
crossed.
Wednesday evenings
see the 13 people doing DISCIPLE 2 descend on Georgetown Methodist Church for a
more in depth exploration of four books of the Bible - Genesis, Exodus, Luke and
Acts. This group have all completed DISCIPLE 1, most were involved in the
initial course that took place through 2006.
DISCIPLE is a huge
commitment with reading to be done most days. It introduces you to the Bible in
a way that goes beyond the daily reading programmes or house group study that
many are involved in. Not only do you discover more about yourself but it
encourages you to put that discovery into the context of the world around you
and the fellowship you share with other Christians. It is a wonderful way in
which to strengthen and deepen our faith and then to have the confidence to live
it out and share it with others.
Liz Hunter
Tragedy in Kenya
Many people in Jersey
have close links with Kenya and are deeply saddened by the outburst of violence
that followed the recent disputed election. Modern communications by e-mail
mean that we have detailed knowledge of the sufferings of ordinary people caught
up in this tsunami of hatred.
The group from St.
Helier that went to Nyalkinyi in November 06 have heard from Paul Okumu and the
Georgetown group that went to Kisumu have heard from Hezron, who is actually
co-ordinating the relief effort in the whole area round Kisumu. This is part
of an e-mail from Paul on Jan.4th “The anarchy is at a critical state as the
Govt decided to use force/security. There are already severe shortages of food,
water, fuel and transport completely paralysed. Beatrice (Paul’s wife) said
people are in darkness as no paraffin to light the lamps. As if to add salt to
the injury, the region has been faced with drought and I'm told the maize farms
we saw in Oct in some areas have yielded nothing due to drought. For that
reason, most families have no where to lay their hands on for food”
An e-mail from Hezron
on Jan. 6th said ” I am off to the mortuary this morning to help families
identity some of the bodies for burial and then off to Koru with the Red Cross
team (about 65 km towards Kericho) with a medical team where I was told early
this morning there may be 3000 people hold up in a church for the last 1.5wks.
Early this morning 2
am I had to collect a 7 yr old girl shot last week in Chemelil from the back on
the lt shoulder and she is now in our hospital in high dependency unit. quite
tragic and amazing she has survived over 6 days.”
Just glimpses of the
struggles that they are facing. What they need from us now is prayerful support
and money that can buy the food and shelter to help those thrown out of their
homes and left with nothing.
Ed Le Quesne
All contributions for the 79th issue and offers of help by
March. 23rd, to: Ed(itor), 16, Millais Park, St. Helier, JE2 4RU. or to
edleq@jerseymail.co.uk
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