Coming to This Church Soon…. In Common Worship it’s called just The Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Book of Common Prayer it’s not there at all. In the Catholic West it’s called the Feast of the Assumption and in the Orthodox East it’s known as the Feast of the Dormition. In much of Europe, even in officially secular France, it’s a particularly important public holiday; in officially Christian England it passes by uncommemorated and unmissed. It may have origins in pre-Christian pagan calendars, and it may prove a stumbling block to Christian unity in the future. What is it? It’s August 15th. This date is kept by most, but not all, Christians as a festival of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of many. September 8th is kept as a memorial of her birth. No Christian should have too much trouble with this, as the mother of Our Lord Jesus is certain to have been born. More contentiously, December 8th is observed as a memorial of her conception – the contention being not that she was conceived, but rather its sinlessness or otherwise. March 25th is a festival of Mary – the Annunciation of Our Lord. Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth - when the babe (John the Baptist) leaped in the womb, and provoked Mary’s great canticle, the Magnificat - is remembered on 31st May, according to Common Worship. This day is rather better than the 2nd July, ordered by the BCP, as the birth of John the Baptist had been celebrated 8 days earlier… But August 15th is a contentious Remembrance – for what is it that we are remembering? Her death? The Roman Catholic tradition would say emphatically not. According to this tradition Mary did not die, but was bodily taken into Heaven where she was crowned its Queen. (This is called the Assumption – note that Mary was assumed into Heaven, that is taken up by the power of God, like Enoch and Elijah, while Christ ascended into Heaven by his own power.) This tradition seems to have its roots in apocryphal writings of the fourth and fifth century. St John of Damascus (676 – 754) writes that Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem, at the Council of Chalcedon (451) made known to the Emperor Marcian, who wished to possess Mary’s body, that the Apostles concluded that Mary had been bodily taken up to heaven. Christians of the Reformed tradition object that there is no basis for this in the Bible, and that nothing that can’t be read in the Bible, or proved by the Bible, needs to be believed by any Christian. The problem is that Pope Pius XII declared infallibly, in the Papal Bull Municentissimus Deus, on November 1st, 1950, that the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was a dogma of the Catholic Faith, and therefore binding on all faithful Roman Catholics. This was re-affirmed by the Second Vatican Council. Yet there is no direct testimony for the end of Mary’s life, or for her Assumption, in scripture, - so according to the Reformed tradition, it cannot be binding on Christians. There is room in the Reformed tradition for this belief to be permitted, even respected – but not for it to be required. This issue has recently been addressed by ARCIC, the group working towards greater union between Roman Catholics and Anglicans. Look at Harriet Harris’s article on this in the Church of England Newspaper, 20th May (www.churchnewspaper.com). The prayers in the Church of England’s Common Worship for August 15th steer a careful path, making no reference to her death or to her Assumption, and the Feast is named The Blessed Virgin Mary. A number of assumptions must be made in assessing the genesis of this tradition. The place of Mary’s death is disputed – Jerusalem or Ephesus? The year of her death is put by different writers as variously three to fifteen years after the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord. The month and the day seem to have been fixed with pagan agricultural festivals in mind (Mary reflecting the life-giving, nurturing love of God?). Have any other assumptions been made? Of course, we keep our Patronal Festival in honour of Mary in September… Michael Parker Foreign Languages Here is the next in our series about regular users of the New Church Rooms and Community Centre. Our Parish Administrator talks about some other classes that go on in the Rooms during the week. If you are not superstitious, you wouldn’t mind taking your Modern Language GCSE on Friday 13th May! This was the last day of Stoke Newington School’s exams which have just been held in the New Church Rooms. On 26th and 28th April we became an important Centre for Turkish oral exams and from the week beginning 9th May, it was the turn of the other modern language students from Stoke Newington School (Media & Arts College) in Clissold Road. They were taking their French and Spanish exams on 11th, 12th & 13th of May, so there was a certain serious academic atmosphere about the place. Normally on a Tuesday and Thursday morning, we are the venue for Hackney Community College (Shoreditch Campus) ESOL Classes - English Speakers of Other Languages and up to 10 students learn everyday English with Laura Porter, while their children are looked after in the smaller room, which is used as a crèche. These classes are run in conjunction with Betty Layward School, but during the SNS Exam period, they were enjoying some days out at the Geffrye Museum and in Clissold Park on the warmer, brighter days. Next in the series, we introduce you to the Stoke Newington Quakers, who meet in the Rooms each Sunday evening for their Quiet Service.   Paula Rainsborough - Parish Administrator   A Night and Day in Devon Gilly Maud’s Licensing Service After a trawl through the train ticket maze, we finally found a reasonably priced "savers" fare. So, armed with our tickets and packed breakfasts, Wellesley and Vashti Stevens, Mary Martin and I headed off to the West Country to witness the licensing of Gilly Hamer Maude as Priest In Charge of St Mary’s, Goodrington, Devon. On arriving at Goodrington we booked into a lovely little hotel just 100 yards from the church and vicarage, and overlooking the sea. As the service was at 7.30 pm, we had time to meet Gilly’s new congregation and her friends from St Mary of Eton, Hackney Wick (where our own Fr Allen Piggot will be going). It was a lovely service, and well attended. The local "officials" were there, together with old friends, family, and well-wishers from neighbouring churches, and also the Rev. Elaine Jones - now Canon Pastor of Derby Cathedral For those who do not know Gilly, St. Mary’s, Stoke Newington was the start of her ministry. She sends her good wishes and thanks for our prayers and support – and would welcome visits. I would particularly like to thank Judith Walden (the Church Warden at St Mary’s, Goodrington) for her travel and accommodation advice. Gladys Earle How to be a Saint I nearly added "… without driving your family and friends up the wall". But this article isn’t about "saintly behaviour". It’s about the formal process of becoming a recognised saint. All Christians are saints by calling, but some are officially designated as such. Pope Benedict has said that he wants the process of declaring Pope John Paul a saint to start as soon as possible. So what is that process, and how do you qualify? We’ve looked at a variety of saints over the last 18 months. Some from very early on in the church, like St Polycarp, and the Apostle James, and some fairly modern, like Richard of Chichester. Recently, because we’ve been concentrating on saints whose locations you can visit, we’ve had many from early English history. That period of the conversion of England in the 7th and 8th centuries threw up a lot of saints. Some of these are very local. In Cornwall, for example, there are many saints who have never been heard of outside the Duchy. And saints are famous in some countries, but barely heard of in others. St Pantaleon, for example, appears all over France, as does St Roch, but I have never come across either in England. There are also, of course, the major league saints that are recognised throughout both the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches. The first thing to say about saints is that they were, by definition, Roman Catholics. (I suppose strictly the first thing of all to be said about saints is that they are dead.) Only the Roman Catholic church formally confers the status of a saint on its adherents. The Church of England shares in any saints canonised before the Reformation. It also conventionally recognises the most important saints created since then and will include their feast days in its calendar, but is less likely to dedicate a church to them. The earliest saints were mostly martyrs, but not exclusively so. Even in the very early days, the greatest teachers and leaders became saints. St Augustine of Hippo, for example, was not a martyr. Nor was St Antony of Egypt, who died in 356, despite several attempts to provoke martyrdom. But as Christianity became established as the state religion of the Roman Empire and then spread throughout the rest of Europe, opportunities for martyrdom decreased and saints were increasingly chosen from among those who had been great leaders or who had lived lives of particular dedication. Recognition of saints was pretty much of a local free-for-all until the 10th century, when Pope John XV began to develop a formal canonisation procedure. The whole procedure was formally set down in 1234, and has been updated a number of times since, most recently in 1983. The normal rule is that the process of declaring someone a saint cannot begin until 5 years after the candidate’s death, although Pope Benedict has already waived this requirement in the case of Pope John Paul, and Pope John Paul did the same for Mother Teresa. The process starts in the local diocese, where the bishop gives his approval to an investigation into someone who is regarded as particularly holy. An advocate for the cause, called a ‘postulator’ is appointed. This person examines the candidate’s life, writings, teachings, and particular acts to show that they are worthy of consideration. Any suggestion of non-orthodox teaching, for example, is likely to rule someone out, however holy a life they have led. Until the 1983 reforms, this stage included the role of the ‘general promoter of the faith’ to raise doubts and queries. This is the role more commonly known as the ‘devil’s advocate’, and is where the expression comes from. If the Bishop approves the report, it is passed to a panel of theologians and cardinals known as the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. If that body agrees with the case, the candidate is declared to be ‘venerable’, that is an embodiment of Catholic virtues. Some get stuck at that point. The historian Bede, for example, who is the source of much of our information about the early Saxon saints and who was a monk at Jarrow and Monkwearmouth, has never progressed beyond ‘Venerable’. However, those aspiring to sainthood have to move on. The next stage in the process is called ‘beatification’. This is where it gets really hard. To achieve this, the person has to demonstrate the second prevailing characteristic of a saint – miracles. Specifically posthumous miracles. A modern definition of miracles is something that is "above the course of nature and beyond its productive powers". The most common form of miracle, both now and in the past, is healing of the apparently incurably ill through the intercession of the person in question, or through contact with their relics. Five doctors examine medical miracles and must unequivocally determine that not other possible explanation for a cure exists. Cures have to be instantaneous and complete – gradual recovery will not do. In the more distant past, saints were also characterised by bodily incorruption – there are many stories of saints whose tombs, when opened, released a sweet smell of flowers and whose bodies appeared not to have decomposed at all. Only the martyrs do not have to perform miracles to be beatified. Mother Teresa of Calcutta has reached the stage of beatification. She was beatified on 19 October 2003. This is unusually fast, given that she died only in 1997. The Pope wanted to get on with it, it was said, because she had done such good in her life. The final step in the process is canonisation. This requires the proof of a second posthumous miracle and, to ensure continued sanctity, must have happened after the beatification. The word ‘canonisation’ comes from the practice of including the saint’s name in the order, or canon, for the Mass on their feast day. Canonisation is regarded as an act of papal infallibility. You can’t have an ‘ex-saint’, so they have to get it right the first time. Pope John Paul canonized 484 saints, and beatified 1,337 altogether. One of these was Edith Stein, and this was the process she went through. Edith Stein was a Jew, born in Breslau (now Wroclaw, in Poland) in 1891. She was one of the first women to be admitted to study at university in Germany, studying philosophy at Gottingen and Freiburg. That already began to open up her interest in Christianity. In 1921, she read, by chance, the autobiography of St Teresa of Avila, one of the most formidable of women saints – the 16th century founder of the reformed Carmelites. Edith became a Catholic, and wished immediately to become a Carmelite. The Church authorities, however, persuaded her to use her writing talents from outside the order. In 1933, the rise of anti-semitism in Germany led to the suggestion she should take up a teaching position in South America. Edith decided that, if she was not to see her elderly mother again, as seemed likely, she would be better to do so by entering religion, as she had long wanted. She entered the convent in Cologne, and remained there, taking the name Sister Teresa Benedicta, until she was moved to Echt, in the Netherlands, after the Jewish purge of Kristallnacht in 1938. She was captured there on the fall of Holland in 1942 and sent to Auschwitz, where she was executed a week later. Someone who was there at the same time, and survived, said afterwards "Every time I think of her sitting in the barracks, the same picture comes to mind: a Pieta without the Christ". And what of the miracles? The miracle was the recovery of a young girl, Teresia Benedicta, who had suffered liver damage from an overdose of Tylenol. The girl’s family had already felt a close link with Edith – hence their daughter’s name – and instinctively turned to pray for her help when the tragedy happened. The girl recovered. Since Edith was a martyr (although interestingly as much for her Jewish blood as for her Christian teaching), the Pope canonised her on the basis of one miracle alone. Judith Simpson   Sabine Baring-Gould 1834-1924 Sabine Baring Gould was born in Exeter in 1834. He had an unsettled childhood because his father preferred to escape the boredom of England by travelling through Europe, which meant that the young Sabine had little formal education - but he did attend schools in Germany and France. However this did not prevent him from entering Clare College, Cambridge where he scraped through, even though he could never get to grips with maths. His unconventional views and behaviour were obvious from an early age and he was a persistent critic of the establishment (particularly the church) throughout his life, which is quite surprising as he entered the ministry at the age of 30. While a curate in Horbury in Yorkshire, he met a mill girl named Grace Taylor. He sent her away to be educated, and then married her in 1868. The couple had 15 children. Tales of his eccentricity abound and it is well documented that he taught at Hurstpierpoint with his pet bat on his shoulder. But for the greater part of his life he was content to settle at Lewtrenchard, near Dartmoor in Devonshire, where he was responsible for the welfare of the few hundred people that lived in his parish. This left him time for travelling regularly (as he had when he was a boy), for raising his large family, for renovating his house and church and for writing the astonishing number of books, pamphlets and magazine articles that actually paid for these other activities. His books included 30 novels, a massive 16-volume "Lives of the Saints" and the biography of the eccentric poet-vicar of Morwenstow, Robert Stephen Hawker. His folkloric studies resulted in "The Book of Were-Wolves" (published 1865), one of the most frequently cited studies of lycanthropy. His other works cover a wide range of topics from theology, folklore, social commentary, to travel & history. No reliable list of his works exists but the best available estimate credits him with 211 publications excluding any of the magazine articles. To most people who have heard his name it is as the writer of hymns. A couple of his best known ones are "Onward Christian Soldiers" and "Now the Day is Over", but of all his many achievements, he was most proud of collecting the folk songs which were published in 1889 as "Songs of the West" subtitled "A collection made from the mouths of the people". He worked on the collection for a total period of 12 years and travelled over a large part of Devon and Cornwall. He visited old singers in their homes and in the fields. When touring he would stay with friends and invite the old singers to join them. He was not a good musician and needed help in his work from two other men, Dr Fredrick Bussell and the Reverend H W Fleetwood Sheppard. When time permitted, one or other would join him on his visits and take down the melodies while he noted down the words. He could not, in his era, have published the songs from the original transcriptions as they were a bit saucy for delicate Victorian ears. Rather than publish with blank spaces or dotted lines as some other collectors chose to do, he took to modifying the words where necessary. The book was supposed to be published in three parts but, in fact, it ran to four. It was not the first book of its kind but it was the most ambitious collection made to that date and was responsible for the Folk revival at the end of the 19th century. The first edition was written in association with Fleetwood Sheppard and this led to the peculiarity of the collection in that Fleetwood Sheppard would not work with any of the songs collected by his other collaborator, Frederick Bussell. This was on the grounds that he was unhappy arranging any song that he had not notated himself as he felt that he could not catch it's unique character unless he had himself heard it sung. The second edition of Songs of the West, published in 1905, was very different to the first as Cecil Sharp took over the musical editorship and reintroduced a number of Bussell's contributions. He also re-arranged many of Sheppard's songs. For a few years at the beginning of the 20th century Sharp and Baring-Gould worked closely together, and Sharp was a regular visitor to Lewtrenchard. As well as Songs of the West they produced "English Folk Songs for Schools" in 1907. What caused their friendship to fade is unclear but certainly Baring-Gould's references to Sharp in later years became less flattering. It is said that at one point there were more books listed under his name in the British Museum Library than any other English writer. He died in 1924 at Lewtrenchard aged 90 and was buried in his own churchyard just across the road from his house. His grandson, William Stuart Baring-Gould, was a noted Sherlock Holmes scholar who wrote a fictional biography of the great detective in which, to make up for the lack of information about Holmes's early life, he based his account on the childhood of his beloved grandfather, Sabine Baring-Gould. His family estate at Lewtrenchard, near Dartmoor in Devonshire, is now an hotel.   Andrew Yoshiro   Postscript from an ed. – Ah, how well I remember the end of the day ritual at my primary school in what was then Rural Surrey. We put our chairs on the desks (ready for the cleaner), put our hands together and closed our eyes for a prayer – and then we sang That Hymn. The words gave me the complete willies when waiting for the school bus on wintry afternoons while shadows of the evening drew across the sky – and the memory of the terror still gives me a certain sort of pleasurable thrill.   Book Review – Something For The Beach? Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell   I confess that until being asked to review this by the editor I had never heard of either the book or the author. This although it was shortlisted for last year’s Man Booker prize and was awarded Book of the Year by the Richard and Judy Book Club (now such an influential institution that Mr Mitchell will probably never have to write again) and several science fiction awards. It is certainly to be increasingly frequently spied being read on the tubes and buses of London. The cover blurb had me recoiling from its somewhat weighty intimation of what lies beneath its covers but I plunged in nevertheless. What followed ranked as one of the more notable reading experiences of my life; at some points I found Cloud Atlas tender and moving, at others gripping, at others downright frustrating. What it was always was fascinating. Plotting this novel must have taken months. It is not just one story. Rather it takes you through six different and disparate tales that are somehow linked with common themes. At one point we are reading the journal of a 19th century American traveller, at another a post World War One budding composer on the make (by far my favourite, although the adventures of an investigative hack brought out the All The Presidents Men fan in me). Other tales take you into the life tales of an ageing vanity publisher, another a hellish futuristic insight into a tyrannical Asian country. I told you they were disparate. Towards the end I did have something of a Eureka moment when I realised some of what was going on; I say some because there are so many things happening at once. What is remarkable is how completely Mitchell creates these worlds, although several of the book’s strands leave you, for the most part, guessing about when and where the action is taking place. I am told that this is common in science fiction. Being more of a Jane Austen girl I found it rather grating at times but have to admit that the worlds of Cloud Atlas are something of an achievement. However, you cannot doubt the skill with which this book has been put together. It could smack of gimmickry, and there are slightly trainspotterish nods to other styles, great classic novels and films everywhere, but the different worlds which Cloud Atlas inhabits are assembled with great skill. I confess to at points having to put the book down because getting my head round the staggering level of detail that Mitchell constructs was rather too much to take on at times. To go into too much detail about what Cloud Atlas is actually about could give too much away and to be honest it is rather hard to say. Without wanting to sound impossibly pompous, it is a lesson about the fragility of the worlds we think are so impermeable. It is about the human condition; how it remains despite what can be done to us; about what we are capable of doing to each other. Fittingly, as I am writing this on a day when half the country has been baked alive while parts of Yorkshire have been washed away, it is also about how we shape the world around us and how we should all give more thought the effect that shaping it is having on ourselves as a society, and as inhabitants of a planet. Emma Forrest (Hodder & Stoughton. Paperback £7.99. ISBN 0 340 82278 3)   Web-site Review: The Mystery Worshipper Emma Forrest continues her series of reviews of "useful" web-sites. When I started thinking about going to church about a year and a half ago I faced the dilemma of deciding which one to go to. Very few of my friends are regular churchgoers, and even if they were, most of them live in different parts of London (or the world) and could not give me a local perspective. So where did I turn to for advice? To the web of course, that boundless fountain of knowledge. Armed only with the names of a few local churches, I did some random Google searches in a bid to find out more about them and in doing so stumbled across the Mystery Worshipper site. Run by the well-known Ship of Fools, to which we shall return in future articles, this consists of anonymous reviews of services at churches, chapels and cathedrals – they do not seem to be fussy. In fact, I would like to know how they select them, short of sticking pins in maps. The reviews come from all across the country, include different types of service and also frequently include reviews from abroad from their foreign correspondents or, presumably, when regulars are away for business or pleasure. Each one starts with a description and picture of the church, some of the background about its history, and tells you about the ‘cast’ of the clergy carrying out the service. It is then reviewed for aspects such as if the visitor is welcomed, the comfortableness of the pews, the nicest and worst things about the experience, and so on. As yet, St Mary’s has never been reviewed by the site. But it is an entertaining way to pass some of your time on the web none the less, not least so you can compare other churches to our own; checking out the competition, if you like. I particularly like their non-partisan approach to what they review; recent visits include everything from strict Baptist to Greek Orthodox services. It is also good for checking out churches you are interested in or might consider going to a service at some time. Nor do reviewers hold back if they think the sermon is dull, the congregation unfriendly or the organ playing lacklustre. We should hope that a review of St Mary’s would think none of the above, but I am looking forward to one day spotting their visiting card on our collection plate – are you not always curious about what visitors have to say about us? http://www.shipoffools.com/Mystery/index.html Emma Forrest   In April this year Ship of Fools sent out a team of Mystery Worshippers to "blitz" London churches. Altogether 70 churches were reviewed. Amazingly, St Mary’s has so far escaped notice. We did wonder how we would have stood up to that sort of criticism. As it’s a good opportunity to examine just how others see us, we "asked a friend".   Our Mystery Worshipper: Imelda   The church: St Mary’s Church of England, Stoke Newington, N16, London, England The building Unusually, there are two churches that form St Mary’s – the ‘Old church’ dating back to Tudor times, and the ‘New Church’, a Victorian building with an elegant spire, built to accommodate the growing population of the expanding Stoke Newington ‘village’ over 100 years ago. Although the old church suffered extensive damage during the war, amazingly, both buildings survive and are used regularly for worship. Sung Eucharist is held in the New church as the congregation is quite large, with evensong and Mattins said in the Old church. It’s easy to find St Mary’s on Stoke Newington Church Street, a trendy area, with lots of cafes, restaurants, and a variety of interesting small shops, also part of the main 73 bus route. The church is situated at one end of Church Street between two other local landmarks – the Rose and Crown Pub and Clissold Park. Church community A mixture of people, reflecting the ethnic mix of the area, and all ages from small babies upwards, but predominantly middle-aged. I got the impression that this is a very regular crowd, and that if I took a picture one week and came back 6 months later to take another, it might look almost identical. Neighbourhood A trendy area known for its expensive Victorian housing, but also for its social deprivation, mixed in every sense - typical of most inner London Boroughs. Stoke Newington is in Hackney where people from many backgrounds seem to brush alongside each other fairly happily. Cast A traditional procession with incense bearer, servers, priest and curates, all wearing formal robes. On the Sunday I visited, the service was led for the first time by the newly appointed curate from a partner church, with the sermon given by the regular curate. The congregation were fairly casually dressed, with an occasional church hat and African head-wrap to be seen. It seemed that there is definitely no need to ‘dress to impress’ – just eat your whole earth muesli, drink your Fair Trade coffee and just come as you are! Name of service Although the board outside referred to the service as ‘Holy Communion’, the notices said ‘Mass’. This just about sums up the status of this church – not as high as you get, but not the MOR version either. However, it does tick a few ‘high’ boxes, such as: incense, servers, Stations of the Cross, and plenty of votive candles. How full? Quite full on the day I visited, with an estimated number of about 150 - a lot more than you might expect in this part of London. There was a Sunday School for the children, who joined the rest of the congregation just before the communion. Did anyone welcome you personally? I was given a fairly thin smile as I was handed my prayer book and hymn sheet, but no greeting or words of welcome. Was your pew comfortable? Not especially – a traditional wooden pew, but not noticeably uncomfortable either. What was the preservice atmosphere like? Fairly quiet, and not chatty at all. I got the impression that people know each other so well, therefore didn’t have too much to say. It was also quite contemplative and chatting probably just wasn’t appropriate. What were the exact opening words? ‘In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit’. No words of welcome to the congregation, only to the new priest presiding. What musical instruments were played? Some great organ music accompanied the hymns and sung parts of the eucharist. No choir, but some excellent singing by the congregation – definitely not a spectator sport at this church, everyone seemed to join in. The hymns were familiar to anyone used to school assemblies 30- 40 years ago, nothing newer than 100 years old! Hymns were written on a separate sheet, together with notices and readings. Although I wouldn’t call this ‘stiff upper lip’, it is very traditional, and power point presentations are definitely unlikely to appear in the near future. Did anything distract you? Not really – the PA system worked fairly well, the service followed along from the order of service, and the babies didn’t make too much noise. The incense added a pleasant mystical touch to the proceedings. How long was the sermon? The sermon lasted exactly 14 minutes although it seemed longer – not because it was boring, but because it was quite memorable and inspiring. In a nutshell, what was the sermon about? The sermon focussed on the rather neglected person of the Holy Spirit, and our relationship with this dimension of the Trinity. Some explanation was given of how the Eastern and Western churches differed in this regard – an area I found fascinating. It was well-structured , relevant to the day’s readings, and was quite original. Thankfully, no jokes were attempted, and there were no anecdotes from the priest’s private life. It really connected the readings for the day, pulling lots of strands together effectively. It left me thinking about how my spiritual life could improve, based on what was said. Rating on a scale of 1- 10 8 Which part of the service was like being in Heaven? This has to be the singing, and the music in general, plus the fairly traditional atmosphere creating a tangible spiritual ethos during the service. Which part was like being er… in the other place? The rather stiff upper lip feel, and lack of welcome to newcomers as they walk in. Intercession This was lead by a member of the congregation, following the Anglican cycle of prayer, and fairly lengthy prayer lists: the Government, Aid workers, areas of conflict, Christian Aid week and countries in turmoil were all remembered. What happened after? During the notices there was an invitation to stay for coffee. There seemed to be a lot going on at the church for those looking for a social dimension. There was also a Traidcraft stall offering a range of produce and gift items. Tea, instant coffee and slices of Swiss roll were on offer, People became quite chatty, and made an effort to talk to newcomers. The priests stayed near the door, greeting members of the congregation as they left. There didn’t seem to be appointed look-outs, specifically spotting newcomers, it was left to any member of the congregation. There was definitely a feel of community here, but you also got a sense that it may take a while to become part of it. What will I remember? A full church with some good, traditional singing and a dignified service. What made me glad to be a Christian? Worshipping with a congregation, fairly at ease with each other, who have a high regard for traditional ways but who seem fairly relaxed. What might they do better? How about a few more modern hymns and a warmer welcome for newcomers and regulars alike?     Poem of the Month Betty Gough writes: I recently came across this poem, which I thought pleasant enough, but it made no particular impression on me. Then I saw it was written by Samuel Rogers, who I knew had lived at Newington Green, and I became interested. Samuel Rogers (1763-1855) was born whilst his parents were living at no. 52 Newington Green, and they later moved into his grandparents’ house nearby. he was a partner in the City banking firm of Rogers, Olding & Co and a member of the Unitarian chapel on the Green. Being known as a poet, it is easy to assume that he could have been part of the literary circle that gathered around Mrs Barbauld. What intrigued me was, when did he write this rural idyll? Was it in his early days when he would have looked out on his semi-rustic haven and perhaps feared for the changes to come? And where did he go after selling the large house and extensive grounds in 1797? Did he find his "cot beside the hill"? Samuel Rogers had been dead nearly 30 years when the building boom reached Newington Green, and Ferntower Road, with all its neighbouring roads of terraced houses, was built on the site of his old house. A passing nod was made in his direction by the naming of Poet’s Road, which runs from Petherton Road into Ferntower Road where his garden would have been. All that remains from his era are the Green itself, the Unitarian church, houses nos. 52-55 which date from the mid-seventeenth century, and, of course, his poems. A Wish   Mine be a cot beside the hill; A bee-hive’s hum shall soothe my ear: A willowy brook that turns a mill, With many a fall shall linger near.   The swallow, oft, beneath my thatch Shall twitter from her clay-built nest; Oft shall the pilgrim lift the latch, And share my meal, a welcome guest.   Around my ivied porch shall spring Each fragrant flower that drinks the dew; And Lucy, at her wheel, shall sing In russet gown and apron blue.   The village church among the trees, Where first our marriage-vows were given, With merry peals shall swell the breeze And point with taper spire to heaven.   The west side of Newington Green in 1879, showing nos. 52 –55, and the house previously owned by Samuel Rogers.   St. Mary’s Working Parties   Behind the scenes at St. Mary’s is the Parochial Church Council, and each member sits on one or more of the working parties, which meet regularly to arrange the variety of events at St. Mary’s. The Working Parties need members of the congregation to work alongside the PCC members to get a good cross section of St. Mary’s working towards the various goals. Listed below are the working parties and their conveners who would be delighted to hear from anyone interested in joining and helping to organise things. Community Action: Sue Ferrar, Martyn Hawkes, Graeme Watson (Convener) Overseas: Richard Munnings (Co-Convener), Monica Hanlan, Junie Isaac, Gladys Earle Social: Jean Guest (Convener), Junie Isaac, Monica Hanlan, Gladys Earle Finance and Stewardship: Trudi Graham (Convener), Michael Johnson, Michael Parker, Andrew Wildridge, Judith Simpson Church Growth: Judith Simpson (Convener) Michael Paker, Ella Caldeira, Christine Hall, Dorothy Anderson, Jonathan Clark Communications: Graham Robson (Convener), John Keniston, Andrew Wildridge Children & Youth: Martyn Hawkes (Convener), Christine Hall Magazine: John Kenison (PCC Link), Mark Perrett, Andrew Yoshiro, Emma Forrest, David Hammonds, Richard Munnings (Convener Jane Pryce) Fabric: Michael Parker (Convener), Jeff Manning, Mark Perrett, Judith Simpson, Sue Ferrar, Jonathan Clark The working parties’ titles are self-explanatory – think about joining one and get in contact with the convener or someone on the WP. Jean Guest   OLIO DELLA ROCCA Olive Oil News     As spring advances we trust you’re all enjoying your Olio Della Rocca. We now have a permanent supply of it here in the UK, which we are keeping frozen so that it retains its freshness and flavour right up until you need a refill. Just Email us when you’re in need - £42.50 per 5 litres collected, or £45 delivered. We are planning a big push to sell the oil when the next harvest arrives in November, and we intend to label and bottle it then (as well as continuing to supply it in the 5 litre cans) so that you can use it as Christmas presents for all those awkward people who seem to have everything already! Finally, if you are interested in picking the new crop in November, just contact Howard. It’s a unique experience, very healthy, quite tiring but enormously rewarding when you see and taste the gorgeous green juice flowing out from the cold stone press! We guarantee open log fires, warm hospitality and all that you can eat and drink to guest pickers. Balsamic vinegar At the request of several of the top restaurants who take our oil, along with the Conran group, we have recently been to Modena to investigate the Balsamic vinegar trade and select some which are both top quality and not absurdly expensive. We found that there are three ‘grades’ of Balsamic vinegar available. The first is commercially produced with additives, which darken and sweeten what is really just wine vinegar. This stuff you can buy in supermarkets and is of no interest to us. At the other end of the market there are the ‘Traditional’ vinegars, made to strict standards but excessively expensive – minimum £20 for a tiny 100ml bottle. However, some of the top producers are now also making vinegars in the traditional way but in larger barrels. This is top notch material but at a fraction of the cost of the ‘traditional’ stuff. So we are importing Montale brand ABM:- 5 year old Balsamic Vinegar, 250 mls @ £5.00 12 year old Balsamic Vinegar, 250 mls @ £12.00 The five year old is excellent for salad dishes and general flavouring whilst the twelve year old is much more concentrated, a few drops giving a quite unique flavour to all manner of haute cuisine. Olive trees and other plants We have noticed that olive trees and other Mediterranean plants are rapidly becoming extremely popular over here and we are planning to build up a ‘direct to you the public’ business where we can offer a variety of plants of various sizes and ages at a fraction of the prices you would have to pay in garden centres. Initially we are offering olive trees of the following sizes:- 1. Yearling seedlings, single stems c. 60 cms tall - £5.00 2. Three years old, single stems short foliage, about 1.5 metres - £9.00 3. Five years old, single stem whispy unshaped foliage 2m - £12.50 4. Five to seven years old, ornamental crowns, smooth trunks - £25.00 The smaller plants are suitable for roof terraces, conservatories etc, larger plants to go in pots on decks, in the garden etc. We can email photos of the samples if required. Delivery possible within M25, especially if accompanied by an oil order! Cypresses The famous Tuscan cypresses differ in shape according to sex. Unlike us, males remain slim and trim as they age but females bulge out into more substantial plants: 1.Seedling Tuscan male (remains slim) £8.00 2.Three year old, 1.5 metres, Tuscan male £20.00 Oleanders Semi-tropical bushy plants with gorgeous foliage and flower heads, they are much more resistant to frost than we all think. 1. Single stem, in white, pink or red. I metre tall £12.00 2. Bush plant multi stemmed, 1.5 metres, mostly pink - £25.00 We’d be pleased to bring in other plants at individual requests, as long as they are not too big! All plants are hardy varieties able to resist frost to -6C. For more details, photos or to view samples in London contact Howard or Nick by email or phone. Fontemelaia Fontemelaia is Howard’s family’s farmhouse in southern Tuscany, where the oil comes from. Surrounded by its own olive groves and woods, the house is in a glorious position, with sensational views and an aura of deep rural peace and tranquillity. As a holiday home for the last thirty years it is well equipped but not bursting with mod cons – washing machine but no dishwasher, for example. Set in 16 hectares of rural Tuscany with all its accompanying delights, like boar, porcupines, tortoises, fireflies and nightingales, the house is very light and spacious with an enormous sitting room and terrace at its centre. There are three large bedrooms, two doubles and a triple, and the house is equipped for up to eight people. Having had the roof, drive and water supply modernised over the last few years, the house will be available for rent this year in July and September at modest weekly rates. Next year it will be available from April. Howard also has details of a wide range of other holiday rental accommodation, ranging from luxury ‘agri-tourism’ hotels with swimming pools to small cottages and modern apartments, all in the near vicinity of the hill villages of Roccatederighi and Sasso Fortino, which have excellent shopping, services and restaurants. For further details please contact Howard as below. The Future – Helping local small producers in Tuscany We are constantly on the lookout for new locally produced items to supply to you, and in the next months we will be meeting with our nearest producer of Tuscan ham and a regional delicacy, salami flavoured with fennel, as well as pecorino sheep’s cheese and dried Porcini mushrooms. If there are other products that you want us to source just let us know and we’ll investigate for you. Finally, in building up our fledgling business we have found that by far the greatest pleasure comes from supplying friends and friends of friends with the very best Tuscan products at wholesale prices or better, as well as buying these products from Italian friends and neighbours who do things in the traditional way. We firmly believe that everyone stands to gain by this direct approach and we need you to spread the word. So please help us grow by opening up your address books and forwarding this message to all your friends, and asking them to do the same. With your help we can stretch our reach from hundreds to thousands. Anyone requiring further information about the oil, vinegar, plants or properties just contact us direct. Howard Reid hreid5039@aol.com (0208 800 5039) Nick Mahon N.D.Mahon@btinternet.com (0207 359 1198 - 07950 342 608)   Margaret Glover Recipe: Chicken Liver Mousse (You will need a food processor – or mincer) 1 tub of chicken livers – unpleasant bits removed 1 medium onion – finely sliced 2 tbsp butter 4 eggs – beaten with 2 tbsp of water 1 small onion – finely chopped A handful of chopped chives Salt and freshly ground black pepper.   Fry the sliced onion with half of the butter until soft and slightly golden coloured. Add the livers and seasoning, and fry until the livers are soft and pink inside, then mince or process. Add the remaining butter to the pan juices and lightly scramble the eggs until almost set. Stir in the liver paste and chopped onions. Pile on to a serving dish and garnish with chopped chives – or any other fresh herbs handy. Serve cold with melba toast and olives as a starter, or with salad and good crusty bread as a light meal.