BUSHEY PARISH MAGAZINE - FEBRUARY
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BUSHEY PARISH MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2022 60 pence
God in the Arts
‘Lord, now lettest thou thy
servant depart…’
The Revd Michael Burgess considers the
painting Simeon with the Christ Child in
the Temple, by Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-
69). Picture reproduced by kind permission
of the National Museum, Stockholm.
Waiting is a common human experience.
Our lives are made up of waiting that
leads to encounter - and such waiting
requires patience and humility. In 1655,
John Milton wrote in his blindness, “They also serve who only stand
and wait” as he wondered what he could do for God’s kingdom now
that his sight had gone.
In this painting of the presentation of Christ (a subject Rembrandt
addressed several times), Simeon had been waiting. He belonged to a
people who had been waiting for centuries. He was heir to the hopes
and dreams of a nation waiting for a better world now that Jerusalem
was in the hands of Roman invaders.
With his people, Simeon clung to the hope that God would come to
bring freedom and a new life. God’s chosen one, the Messiah, would
bring this about. When it came, there was no fanfare, no warning, just
an ordinary family from faraway Nazareth in the Temple, performing
the religious duties for the firstborn son. But the waiting led to
encounter, and the sight of the new-born child led to insight as Simeon
recognised that light and salvation had at last arrived.
Rembrandt has captured all this in Simeon with the Christ Child in the
Temple: the faith and patience, the hope and humility of an old man, a
priest, who takes the babe into his arms and blesses God. It was the
artist’s last painting and left unfinished at his death. The figure of Mary
by Simeon’s side may have been added by another artist at a later
stage. It is the aged priest and the new-born babe that impress us:
Simeon with his venerable beard and eyes half-closed; the tiny child,
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cradled in strong arms, looking up intently with eyes open. As
Rembrandt painted this canvas, was he saying something about his own
life? He had not been afraid to depict himself at various ages (21, 35,
53), creating at least 40-50 self-portraits over the years.
In this final painting, time has moved on as we see Simeon mouthing
“Nunc dimittis”, waiting over and the journey coming to an end, so
that his eyes will close fully? Or will he open them to see that, with the
babe in his arms, God has more in store: the promise of a future as
they step out together on a new journey?
What a tree can do for you
Trees can help prevent you from getting depressed – or at least you
are less likely to be on antidepressants if you live in a tree-lined street.
That is the finding of a survey by the Forestry Commission,
which looked for the first time at the mental health value of
our forests and woodlands. Apparently, they save the NHS
something like £185million in antidepressants each year.
A spokesman at Mind, the mental health charity, says: “Although many
of us feel like hibernating in winter, getting outside in green spaces and
making the most of the little daylight we get can really benefit both
your physical and mental health.”
St James’s 60+ Club is back!
St James’s 60+ Club is restarting its regular get-togethers from Monday
February 7, having suspended them because of Covid. The club meets
fortnightly on Mondays in Church House and runs from 2.30pm to
4.30pm. The annual membership fee is £10 and the cost per session is
£2, which includes tea, biscuits and a raffle. There is a varied and
interesting programme and the club is happy to welcome new
members on a free one-off trial to see if it appeals.
Initial topics are: “You never had it so good; Fifties London” by Colin
Oakes (February 7) and “This is your life, John Crawford - ex RAF
fighter pilot” (February 21). Contact Caroline Harper: tel 020 8420
4838 or 07789 950365; email carolineharper49@gmail.com
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Ministry Team
Rector of the Parish of Bushey:
The Revd Guy Edwards 0208 950 1546
rector@busheyparish.org
Guy’s usual rest-day is Monday (Tuesday when Monday is a Bank Holiday). Please
do not contact him then except in a serious emergency.
Rector’s PA: Lisa Tsangaris 0208 950 1546
rectorsPA@busheyparish.org
Lisa works 10.00am-1.00pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Lay Leader of Worship: Christine Cocks LLW@busheyparish.org
CHURCH WARDENS
wardens@busheyparish.org
Greg Batts Salome Jayaratnam
PARISH ADMINISTRATION
Parish Administrator: Jacqueline Birch 020 8421 8192
Church House, High Street, Bushey office@busheyparish.org
Parish Finance Officer: Sinead English 020 8421 8192
Church House, High Street, Bushey finance@busheyparish.org
PCC Secretary: Martyn Lambert secretary@busheyparish.org
The Parish Office on the first floor of St James’s Church House is open as follows:
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8.30am-2.30pm; Wednesdays, 8.30am-11.30am.
Safeguarding Officer: Gay Butler 07799 063404
safeguarding@busheyparish.org
Parish website: www.busheyparish.org
webmaster@busheyparish
Parish of Bushey Livestream Facebook page :
https://www.facebook.com/busheyparishlive
YouTube channel
Search for "The Parish of Bushey" and subscribe. It's free.
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Worship in the Parish of Bushey—February 2022
Covid-19: We went to press before the Parish had drawn up detailed guidelines to take
account of the relaxation in government Covid rules in effect from January 27. Please see
our website, social media and weekly pew-sheets for updates. In general, worshippers are
urged to remain cautious, take all hygiene measures they are comfortable with and be
respectful of the personal decisions of others.
Sunday services
(Provisional. Please check latest pew-sheet or our social media for updates)
Sunday February 6 (Fourth before Lent)
8.00am – Holy Communion (BCP), St James’s Church
9.30am – All-Age Parish Eucharist, St James’s Church
11.15am – Holy Communion, St Paul’s Church
Sunday February 13(Third before Lent)
8.00am — Holy Communion (BCP),, St James’s Church
9.30am – Parish Eucharist with Sunday School, St James’s Church
11.15am—Holy Communion, St Paul’s Church
Sunday February 20 (Second before Lent)
9.30am – Choral Eucharist with Sunday School, St James’s Church
11.15am– Holy Communion, St Paul’s Church
5.30pm—Choral Evensong, St James’s Church
Sunday February 27 (Next before Lent)
8.00am—Holy Communion (BCP), St James’s Church
9.30am – Parish Eucharist with Sunday School, St James’s Church
11.15am—Holy Communion, St Paul’s Church
Weekday services
Morning Prayer is said Tuesdays to Fridays at 9.00am in one of our
churches, as shown below. These services are open for remote participation
via Zoom. In-person attendance (IP) is also possible, except on Tuesdays.
Tuesdays, Zoom only; Wednesdays and Fridays, St Paul’s (IP/Zoom);
Thursdays, St James’s (IP/Zoom).
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82449909870?
pwd=L2xDMWlLOGhNMGRKM2hjSjJHdmpWZz09
Every Wednesday
12.30pm – Holy Communion, St Paul’s Church
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From the Rector
First the fall and then the recovery...
I have no idea how the scandals surrounding the government’s so-
called “lockdown partying” and the alleged conduct of Prince Andrew
will have played out by the time you read this. At the time of writing,
they were dominating the news headlines. I guess that many, like me,
will be feeling a sense of disillusion, perhaps even of outrage, at people
in high places and what they reportedly get up to.
We live in a stratified society and we expect those at the top of it -
those with extraordinary power and privilege, those in leadership - to
behave well. Unfortunately, they don’t always. Perhaps they never
did, but it is easy to feel disappointment and anger when those who
might be expected to have a strong moral compass appear to lack
one.
None of this should come as any surprise from a Christian point of
view. In the Bible and in our tradition, we unfashionably acknowledge
a reality called “sin”. And it’s a tricky word. We may almost never use
the vocabulary of sin outside the confession in our weekly worship.
Many will think of sin as an outdated concept.
Using the “s-word” to shame and to accuse should certainly be left
behind. But it names something real. It is hard to see what is going in
in the world for very long - its scandals and tragedies, its crying
agonies and its stubbornly persistent injustice - without recognising
that something is deeply adrift in human life. There is a fundamental
“missing of the mark”, a downward drag in all of us – and in our
institutions and our culture. Errant royals and obfuscating
governments are the symptom and not the cause.
This powerful reality affects us all – there is no one and nothing
exempt from it. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”,
wrote St Paul. “There is a crack, a crack in everything”, sang Leonard
Cohen in his magnificent song Anthem. Absolutely right.
So far, so gloomy. Strangely, there is actually good news that goes
with this. If there is such a thing as sin – the falling short of God’s
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design for life – there is at least the possibility of forgiveness, of
reconciliation, of a new start – the newness that is available to us
through faith in Jesus Christ.
God’s forgiveness of sin is the Church’s unique selling point, the
truth that both Christmas and Easter signpost. And through this
comes the possibility of transformation of individual lives and
communities.
We can never pretend we have arrived, only recognise and consent
to God working in us towards that constant renewal of our lives,
our Church and our society. And, while remembering to call out
those things that are wrong in the world and in the Church, we
must nonetheless exercise patience with one another and extend
the forgiveness we ourselves need. “First the fall and then the
recovery from the fall”, wrote Julian of Norwich, “…and both are of
the mercy of God”. – Revd Guy Edwards
Revd Andy licensed in Sedbergh
I’m sure many of us in Bushey were with Andy Burgess in heart and
mind as our former Curate was licensed on January 11 for his new
ministry as Vicar to the Benefice of the Western Dales. It was a
lovely evening in the beautiful light and warmth of the ancient parish
church of St Andrew’s in Sedbergh, where Andy - supported by Joy,
Meredith and Daphne - took his oaths and received his licence from
the Rt Revd James Newcome, Bishop of Carlisle.
They are in a lovely part of
the world, home to both Joy
and Andy growing up, and it
was great to see them happy
and beginning to settle in.
Please continue to hold
them in your prayers in their
new life and in all the
challenges Andy will face in
the Western Dales. - Guy
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The real meaning of God’s love
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
This month, as we mark St Valentine’s Day, we focus on the
importance of love. In understanding the way God loves us, the verse
above shows us how we should love others.
God’s love is unconditional: God demonstrated His unconditional
love for us by sending His Son into this world, to show us how we
should love others, especially when it is undeserved! “There is nothing
we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to
make God love us less” (Philip Yancey, US writer).
God’s love is sacrificial: God’s love is not selfish or self-seeking, but
selfless and self-sacrificial, putting the needs of others first. This is
demonstrated by the cross, the supreme demonstration of God’s love.
He died for our sins to give us access to God’s love, which is made real
in our lives by the Holy Spirit.
God’s love is forgiving: According to the film Love Story, “Love
means never having to say you’re sorry”. Yet Jesus’s love for us enables
us to forgive others, as we find His forgiveness through the gift of
eternal life, available to all who put their trust in Him.
In this football World Cup year, we remember
Bobby Moore describing the terror of receiving
the trophy from the Queen in 1966: “I noticed
that the Queen was wearing some beautiful
white gloves. I looked down at my hands and
they were completely covered with mud!”
Although we approach God with dirty and
spoilt lives, because of His love we can shake
hands with a holy God and share that love with
others. - Paul Hardingham
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Churches prepare their
Platinum Jubilee plans
Churches, Christian charities and youth
organisations are working together to
celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee over
the four-day Bank Holiday that will take
place throughout the UK and the
Commonwealth on June 2-5 this year. A
new website has been created to provide
ideas and resources for communities to
mark Her Majesty’s 70 years of faith and service as monarch
(www.theplatinumjubilee.com).
The charity Hope Together is collaborating with a wide range of
partners to help churches throughout the Commonwealth in their
festivities. Executive Director Dr Rachel Jordan-Wolf says, “Churches
are in an ideal place to bring communities together for these national
celebrations”.
Hope’s Platinum Jubilee highlights will include:
*Our Faithful Queen, a book containing rarely seen prayers the Queen
used as she prepared for her coronation, published in conjunction with
Biblica and intended for event organisers to buy and then give away.
*A Happylands animation and book called The Girl Who Grew Up To Be
Queen, aimed at the under-fives and published in partnership with The
Entertainer and Hope for Every Home.
*A new anthem, Rise Up and Serve, commissioned from hymn-writers
Graham Kendrick, Mal Pope and Rend Collective, for choirs to sing as
part of the celebrations.
*Seventy Acts of Service, an invitation to communities to celebrate by
serving others with 70 community-service ideas, drawing on the
Christian charity Stewardship’s 40 Acts Lent challenge.
*On Her Majesty’s Service, for children aged 11-14. Youth groups,
schools and uniformed organisations are involved, among them Pais,
10Youth for Christ, YouthScape, The Message, Prayer Spaces In Schools,
the Girls’ Brigade and the Boys’ Brigade. Resources include ideas for
action and videos.
In addition to resources available from the dedicated website
mentioned above, you can get banners, posters and other Platinum
Jubilee items from Christian Publishing & Outreach (CPO) at
www.cpo.org.uk/queen-platinum-jubilee.
As the four-day Bank Holiday ends at Pentecost, Hope Together’s
partner Thy Kingdom Come is also providing a Cheeky Pandas
film, song and book for primary-school children, with resource packs
for home/church/school and community events
Your local church: sanctuary or crime scene?
On average in 2020, a dozen crimes a day were committed that
affected British churches or other religious buildings. Statistics from
the Countryside Alliance show around 4,000 actual or potential
criminal incidents, ranging from theft and vandalism to actual assaults
such as alleged rape, in that year.
Mo Metcalf-Fisher, Countryside Alliance spokesman, calls the crimes
“shocking” and “sad”, adding: “The church obviously wants to keep its
doors open. It wants to be that sanctuary for people to go to, and
criminals are making that incredibly difficult to carry on with.”
However, instead of being sanctuaries, many churches are seen as
easy targets, especially in rural areas. The statistics, obtained under
the Freedom of Information Act,
indicate that the worst-hit locations
are largely in south-east England.
The Countryside Alliance is urging the
government to ensure its Places of
Worship Security Funding Scheme,
introduced in 2016, remains in place.
1112
Dioceses get £4.8m to spread Christian message
A community choir, a church in a working men’s club and ministry
with children and young people are among the projects to receive
extra funds as part of a drive by the Church of England to spread the
Christian message to younger and more-diverse groups.
Coventry Diocese will get £1.25 million in strategic development
funding (SDF) for outreach work in parishes serving estates and
suburban areas. The aim is to create 150 new worshipping
communities in the diocese by 2030. The money will promote
activities such as a community choir, holiday and lunch clubs,
pastoral support and Christian inquiry courses.
Separately, a £3.5 million grant has been awarded to Southwell &
Nottingham Diocese for work to support 40 churches’ outreach to
children, families and young people over the next five years.
The grants have been allocated as the Church of England outlines
priorities in its Vision and Strategy project for the 2020s. Aims
include doubling the number of children and young people in
churches and attracting more-diverse congregations.
In praise of plodders
The Revd Tony Horsfall considers the slow and steady type of Christian.
I've been pondering the words of the apostle Paul where he says, “I
press on towards the goal” (Philippians 3:14). It suggests to me taking
one step at a time and simply keeping moving in the right direction
with discipline and determination.
This reminds me of the missionary William Carey (1761-1834), who
said of himself: "If He gives me credit for being a plodder, He will
describe me justly. Anything beyond that will be too much.
I can plod. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I
owe everything.”
Christian discipleship is not always exciting, glamorous or
even enjoyable. Sometimes it is a matter of quietly getting
on with it, with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
13Bringing light to dark places
The Revd Dr Jo White continues her series
on reflected faith.
Last month, we noted that there are
three reasons for the festival of
Candlemas (February 2). First, it’s the
halfway point between the shortest day
and the spring equinox, so from this
date daylight hours get longer (in pre-Christian times, it was
celebrated as the “Feast of Lights”). Second, it’s when we remember
Mary and Joseph taking their baby Jesus to the Temple, 40 days after
His birth.
And the third reason, which we didn’t discuss last time? It is directly
linked to the name of the feast – Candlemas. It’s called that because,
on this day each February, all the candles for the coming year were
brought into church to be blessed at a mass. Remember candles were
important in those days, and not only because there were no electric
lights. People believed they gave protection against plague and other
illnesses, as well as against famine.
Today, in many churches on February 2 or the nearest Sunday (this
year, January 30), there will be a procession of the congregation with
lighted candles, often around the whole building and into every dark
corner. Everyone carries a lighted candle, which they are encouraged
to take home and light there, too.
One of the prayers that may be used says:
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe.
You make our darkness to be light.
For with You is the well of life
and in Your light shall we see light.
To do this month: Christ is often called the “Light of the World”, who
came to bring light, hope and peace into our darkness. Think about
those places that are dark for you. Perhaps you do not like going
14there or will not go there. Perhaps they are too painful or scary.
Just pause for a short time with a lit candle and imagine Jesus going
there for you or with you. Lighting your way. Making it safe.
He came to give us life – and life to the full – even in those dark
places.
Loved nonetheless
A man described as a “rich young ruler” was keen to follow Jesus.
However, when he was told that, to do so, he must share his wealth
with the poor, he decided it was too much to ask. He went away
sorrowful, we read, but the same Gospel passage also informs us that
“Jesus, looking at him, loved him” (Mark 10:21).
This is a remarkable statement about Jesus and the nature of divine
love - a love that doesn’t alter despite the ups and downs of our
behaviour. It is constant and unchanging, truly without condition and
unshaken by the unpredictability of human response.
We might have expected to hear Jesus say “You foolish man” or “You
stupid boy”, but there is no such rebuke, only love. Jesus might have
been annoyed, disappointed, exasperated, alarmed, shocked … but all
we feel is His love for someone who has missed a great opportunity.
What a joy it is to know that Jesus loves us exactly as we are. When
He looks at us, nothing is hidden from His gaze. He sees through all
our pretence, all our
subterfuge, all our attempts
to put on a brave front. He
knows who I am,
completely. And yet He
loves me unreservedly and
without reservation.
Amazing.
Why walk away from a love
like that? - Tony Horsfall
15FRIENDS OF BUSHEY MUSEUM
Bushey Museum is open every
Thursday, Friday and Saturday
11.00am-4.00pm
Do come along. We’d love to see you!
We’re online, too, at:
www.busheymuseum.org
Bushey Museum & Art Gallery, Rudolph Road WD23 3HW
16Christian Basics (2): What’s wrong with the world?
Paul Hardingham continues his series on the foundations of Christian faith.
“How can a God of love allow suffering?” Many people struggle with
such questions. The Bible helps us to understand how sin affects both
our own lives and the world.
Genesis provides us with a picture of how sin entered the world. In
Genesis Chapter 2:16-17, God gave Adam and Eve both permission
(“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden”) and a prohibition
(“But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil”), while warning them of the consequences of
disobedience (“For when you eat of it you will surely
die”).
In Genesis 3, they broke God’s law by eating fruit
from the forbidden tree. As a result, their eyes were
opened to the nature of sin (they knew shame) and
their relationship with God was broken (they hid from
Him). As a result, death entered their lives. This story reminds us that
God gives us free will (an essential aspect of being human) to choose
whether God will be at the centre of our lives or not.
The Bible offers different ways of describing how sin arises:
*Through a spirit of independence: We don’t want God to
interfere in our lives, preferring our own ideas and ways of behaviour.
*By ignoring the Maker’s instructions: If you ignore user
instructions, you only have yourself to blame when things go wrong!
God created us to function with Him at the centre of our lives.
*By missing the mark: We fail an exam even when we’re just one
mark short of a pass. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God” (Romans 3:23).
In a famous correspondence in The Times newspaper under the title
“What’s wrong with the world?”, a letter from the English writer and
philosopher GK Chesterton (1874-1936) simply said: “Dear Sir, I am”.
17‘Flying Scotsman’ put his faith first
When Eric Liddell first pulled on the dark-blue
jersey of the Scotland rugby union team 100
years ago last month, he was launched on a
path that made him one of the most famous
British sportsmen of the 1920s. An outstanding
all-round athlete during his schooldays at
Eltham in south London, he would have been a
star in any discipline he chose.
While studying pure science at Edinburgh University, he combined
rugby and athletics. The rugby selectors quickly spotted his potential
and, as a lightning-fast wing three-quarter, he collected seven
international caps for Scotland in 1922-23. Thereafter he decided to
concentrate on athletics, where his phenomenal speed made him an
obvious pick for the Great Britain team at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
Despite an ungainly running style that offended the purists, he won a
gold medal in the 400 metres and a bronze in the 200 metres.
However, Eric’s participation in Paris also attracted attention for
another reason. A devout Christian, he refused to run on Sundays.
That matter of principle cost him his place in the 100-metre event,
where he looked likely to win gold, too. Much later, it provided a plot
strand in the Oscar-winning 1981 biopic Chariots of Fire.
Committed Christianity was an intrinsic part of Eric from childhood.
His parents, the Revd and Mrs James Liddell, were missionaries to
China, sent by the London Missionary Society. Eric was born in
Tientsin in 1902 and lived there until he left for school in England at
age five.
At school and university, Eric’s Christianity shone through. He became
a speaker for the Glasgow Students’ Evangelistic Union, whose
organisers hoped his growing reputation as “Scotland’s fastest man”
would draw audiences to hear his witness. But all the time he was
looking towards a missionary career with his family in China.
After the Paris Olympics, Eric’s calling took precedence. He returned
to China in 1925 to teach at a college for the children of wealthy
locals, while also superintending the Sunday School at his father’s
18church. Athletics remained part of his life – he participated in various
local competitions and gave sports instruction at his college. But
spreading Christ’s message through word and deed was paramount.
In 1932, Eric was ordained a minister of the Congregational Union of
Scotland. Shortly afterwards he met and eventually married Florence
Mackenzie, from a Canadian missionary family. The couple would go
on to have three daughters.
All the while, China was becoming a more and more dangerous place
for foreigners, riven by internal strife and war with Japan, which began
an invasion of China in 1937. By 1941, the situation was so perilous
that all British nationals were advised to leave. Florence and the
children went to Canada, but Eric
stayed on, taking a post at the
‘Each one of us is in a
mission station in the poverty- greater race than any I
stricken, war-ravaged area of have run in Paris, and this
Xiaozhang. The demand for food
and medical treatment was never-
race ends when God gives
ending and the mission staff were out the medals.’ - Eric
exhausted. The Japanese seized the Liddell
mission and Eric fled back to his
previous location in Tianjin. There he was captured and, along with
many other missionaries and their families, thrown into a Japanese
internment camp.
The camp was an awful place of hunger, disease and privation. But all
who encountered Eric there and lived to tell the tale spoke of his
selfless conduct. He tended the old and sick, organised games and
science projects for the children, taught Bible classes and arranged
numerous other activities, constantly busy and cheerful while earning
a reputation for fair dealing. One former inmate described him as “the
closest thing to a saint… I have ever known”. Sadly, the conditions
took their toll. Already worn out by overwork and malnutrition, Eric
developed a brain tumour and died on February 21, 1945. He was 43.
Much later, it was discovered Eric had been given a chance to leave
the camp in a prisoner exchange. True to his Christian principles, he
handed his place to an expectant mother. - Mick Groushko
1920
Supporting those who serve their communities
From building roads in Sierra Leone to running disability programmes in
the remote mountains of Uttarakhand, India, thousands of people
worldwide are working hard to serve and develop their communities.
But sometimes these “servers” need assistance themselves - and that is
where Arukah Network comes in. It is a global support system for
people who serve their community and takes its name from the Hebrew
for “healing” or “restoration”. With nine so-called “clusters”, or hubs, in
Africa and India, Arukah provides backing for both people and
communities who have big dreams for their futures (https://
www.arukahnetwork.org/clusters)
In each cluster, members work to build relationships, support one
another, share in training, and form partnerships. Arukah says, “The aim
is to increase the health, wellbeing and happiness of our communities,
and ultimately, to inspire wider systemic and social change.”
One cluster member who is transforming lives is Raj Kumar in
Uttarakhand. He was born a Dalit, into the lowest of the social groups in
India’s caste system, once known as “Untouchables”. Growing up, Raj
thought that God had made him for a life of suffering and trouble…a life
without hope.
But then he became a Christian. Because of his new relationship with
Jesus, he grew in self-esteem and secure in his identity. He started
seeing the world from a biblical perspective, motivating him to enrol in a
seminary. Raj is now a pastor and runs a grassroots organisation
providing social care to vulnerable people in his region. In his cluster, he
uses his story and experience to counsel and help people with their
health and hygiene, while changing the “Dalit mindset”. You can read
more of his story at https://www.arukahnetwork.org/post/010620
If you would like to become a Friend of Arukah and help
communities worldwide to achieve their full potential,
please visit https://www.arukahnetwork.org/
friendsofarukah.
21Wisdom of ‘The Arch’
The recent death of Archbishop
Desmond Tutu (“The Arch”, as
he was affectionately nicknamed)
was mourned around the world.
Here are five of his best-known
quotes, showing why he was so
honoured for his justice and
reconciliation work in his native
South Africa.
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good
put together that overwhelm the world.”
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side
of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and
you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your
neutrality.”
“Don't raise your voice, improve your argument. Good sense does
not always lie with the loudest shouters, nor can we say that a large,
unruly crowd is always the best arbiter of what is right.”
“Forgiving is not forgetting; it’s actually remembering - remembering
and not using your right to hit back. It’s a second chance for a new
beginning. And the remembering part is particularly important.
Especially if you don’t want to repeat what happened.”
“Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are
different precisely in order to realise our need of one another.”
The Christian faith of Denzel Washington
The American actor Denzel Washington, 66, publicly underlined his
Christian faith in a recent interview with the New York Times.
Describing himself as “God-fearing”, he used the occasion to warn
against the dangers of the digital age. Washington declared: “The Bible
says in the last days … we’ll be lovers of ourselves. The No 1
22photograph today is a selfie, ‘Oh, me at the protest.’ ‘Follow me.’
‘Listen to me.’…We’re living in a time where people are willing to do
anything to get followed.”
NYT journalist Maureen Dowd revealed that during the interview,
Washington encouraged her to read the Bible. He told her: “You have
to fill up that bucket every morning. It’s rough out there.” He went
on: “If you don’t have a spiritual anchor you’ll be easily blown by the
wind and you’ll be led to depression.”
Last September, at the Christian Better Man conference in Florida,
Washington said: “I hope that the words in my mouth and the
meditation of my heart are pleasing in God's sight, but I'm human. I'm
just like you… If you want to talk to someone, talk to the One that
can do something about it.”
Washington also revealed that before his 97-year-
old mother died last year, he promised her he
would “attempt to honour her and God by living
the rest of my days in a way that would make her
proud”.
Washington has been married to Paulette Pearson
for 38 years. With the late Archbishop Desmond
Tutu officiating, he and his wife renewed their
wedding vows in 1995 in South Africa.
God’s Valentine
For God so loved the world He sent His Son The Bible is God’s precious Word of Life
There was no other way to let us know, A living breathing word like no other,
So Jesus came to us from heaven’s realm It is a heavenly letter of love to us
To bring God’s love to all of us below. Sent “From your God the Everlasting
Father”.
He took on flesh, became like one of us, Poem by Megan Carter
Taught and healed and loved wherever He
went
Showing the Father’s love for all to see
He truly was a gift from heaven sent.
2324
Sixty years since John Glenn’s epic ride
It was 60 years ago this month, on February 20, 1962, that John Glenn
became the first US astronaut to orbit the Earth, going round it three
times in the space capsule Friendship 7, which he named himself.
The three circuits of the globe, in a trip lasting just under five hours,
made the Presbyterian Christian a hero and a household name, but he
was not the first man in space. Two Russians, Yuri Gagarin and
Gherman Titov, preceded him, in April and August 1961.
The American launch was postponed four times because of
mechanical issues and uncertain weather, and the flight was not
without its frightening moments. An apparent problem with the heat
shield necessitated a change in plans mid-flight, but that turned out to
be a relatively insignificant sensor malfunction.
Glenn was one of the early US astronauts – the so-called Mercury
Seven – immortalised in Tom Wolfe’s 1979 book The Right Stuff,
which became a film and more recently a TV series.
Glenn, who represented Ohio as a Democratic senator for 25 years
from 1974, went aloft again in 1998 aboard the shuttle Discovery, in a
mission whose main aim was to study the effects of space flight on
older people. At that point, Glenn was aged 77 years and 103 days,
making him the oldest man in space – a record that stood until 2021
and is now held by the Star Trek actor William Shatner (90 years and
205 days).
Glenn, who died in 2016 aged 95, said that
seeing the Earth from orbit stirred in him a
tremendous sense of wonder that strengthened
his faith, adding: “To look out at this kind of
creation out here and not believe in God is to
me impossible.”
Space capsule Friendship 7 is now on
display in the National Air & Space
Museum in Washington, DC
2526
Book reviews
Bible Stories Every Child Should Know
Kenneth B Taylor and Jenny Brake, 10Publishing, £16.99
Best-selling author Kenneth Taylor was well-known for his
faithful retelling of Bible stories in a way that engaged young children.
This newly illustrated collection of more than 120 entries from
his Classic Bible Storybook presents the truths of the whole Bible in a
language that is understandable for kids aged four to seven. Each story
has three-four comprehension questions to help children easily grasp
Biblical concepts.
Incomparable: Explorations in the Character of God
Andrew Wilson, 10Publishing, £9.99
This book explores 60 names and descriptions of our great Creator.
Each chapter offers profound Biblical insights and revelations that will
enrich your faith. There are opportunities for so-called
“selah moments” of reflection and worship, while practical applications
connect each truth with our daily lives. Incomparable helps us immerse
ourselves in God’s “character” and delve into the depths of His
presence. You will experience a God that is truly beyond compare.
What are Religions and Worldviews?
An introduction to beliefs around the world
Deborah Lock, Lion Children, £8.99
Via this book, children can find out about the beliefs and practices of
the six main world religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism,
Buddhism and Sikhism), as well as the tenets of worldviews such
as humanism.
Young readers will discover the meaning of key terms such as
enlightenment, covenant and paradise and find a quick and accessible
reference to places of worship, festivals, holy books, main prayers and
much else.
The title is the third in the Keywords series, written and designed to
help children develop good reference skills.
2728
Global food crisis ‘threatens 1 billion’
An estimated 1 billion people worldwide are facing malnutrition as the
global food crisis worsens, with 45 million already on the brink of
famine, says the Christian charity Barnabas Fund, which has just
launched a new initiative called food.gives to try to help. Of that
billion, 239 million are in Africa, where the worst-affected countries
include Madagascar, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Recent studies also show that, worldwide, 22 per cent of children
under age five are “stunted” due to lack of nourishment. Many of these
– an estimated 14 million babies and young children – are suffering
acute and severe malnutrition.
Nearly one-third of the world’s population, or more than 2.5 billion
people, lack an adequate supply of food. Millions go to bed hungry
every single day. In Madagascar, famine has followed years of drought
and other environmental disasters. Many people have been reduced to
trying to eat tree bark or cactus leaves and many have already died.
While famine is an issue that affects all people, Christians who are
already persecuted and impoverished are often among the worst-hit,
says Barnabas Fund, which specifically aims to assist such groups.
Reports also indicate that famine and food insecurity increase the
likelihood of violence and conflict, including the anti-Christian attacks
experienced by believers across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
In the food.gives initiative,
individuals and groups are
invited to fill pre-supplied
boxes with dried foodstuffs
each month. These are then
assembled in warehouses for
shipment to areas where they
are needed. If you would like
to join others who are filling up
food boxes, visit https://
www.food.gives/
29The Children’s Page
30Hall Hire
The Parish of Bushey has three halls
available for your party, meeting or
function as Covid-19 restrictions
permit. All have kitchen facilities.
St James’s Church House Hall
High Street WD23 1BD
churchhouse@busheyparish.org
St Paul’s, John Stobbart Hall
Bushey Hall Road WD23 2EQ
Jill Macey: 07736 680501 or
jillmacey48@gmail.com
Holy Trinity*
Bushey Mill Lane WD23 2AS
Gill Onslow 01923 464839
*See page 32
31St Paul’s Church, WD23 2EQ
Pro-Warden Mrs Marion Golding 07787 538232
Organist Dr Martyn Lambert 01923 221979
Stewardship Officer Mrs Marion Golding 07787 538232
Hall Bookings Jill Macey 07736 680501
jillmacey48@gmail.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/StPaulsBushey/
Holy Trinity Church, WD23 2AS
Holy Trinity Church is now closed for worship. However, hall hire remains possible
until such time as the future of the building is determined. For all queries relating to
the closure and for hall bookings, please contact:
Pro-Warden Mrs Gill Onslow 01923 464839
onslowg@ntlworld.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HolyTrinityBushey
—————————————————————-
Messy Church
Contact: Mrs Jane Groushko, 07974 771342
Forest Church
Contact: forestchurch@busheyparish.org
Parish Magazine Editorial Team
Please send all items by the 5th of the month preceding publication
to: magazine@busheyparish.org
Mrs Sue Baxter 07793 323571
Mr Michael Groushko 01923 467773
Advertising Liaison: Mrs Ingrid Harris
ingridharris51@gmail.com
Bushey Parish Magazine is published monthly, in hard copy (price 60p) and
free online at www.busheyparish.org under “News”.
32St James’s Church, WD23 1BD
Pro-wardens Annie White 020 8386 1135
Baz Butcher Bazyle.Butcher@virginmedia.co.uk
Bell Ringers Mr Stuart Brant 01923 330999
Finance &
Stewardship Group Taiye Sanwo (Hon Treasurer)
Christine Cocks (CMF Officer)
Organist & Choir Mr James Mooney-Dutton jmd@busheyparish.org
Director of Music
60+ Club Caroline Harper 020 8420 4838 /07789 950365
carolineharper49@gmail.com
Church House hall
bookings churchhouse@busheyparish.org
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/st.jameschurchbushey
From the Registers
FUNERAL
“Let light perpetual shine on them”
January 4, 2022
Barbara Siddell
INTERMENT OF ASHES
“Ashes to ashes”
January 14, 2022
Ivy and Frederick Tyler
January 15, 2022
Glyn Atkins
100 Club winners in December
Congratulations to our 100 Club winners for December: Christine Cocks
(£60); Clare Humphreys (£40); and Ann White (£20).
*For more information about the 100 Club, contact Clare Humphreys on 020 8950
6352 or see www.busheyparish.org/parish-100-club
33DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – FEBRUARY 2022
Wednesdays throughout February
COFFEE, CAKE & CHAT + BARGAIN TABLE-SALE
St Paul’s Church, 10.00am-12.00 noon. Followed by Communion.
Mondays February 7 and 21
+ ST JAMES’S 60+ CLUB
Church House, 2.30pm (details page 3)
Saturdays February 12 and 26
LUNCHTIME RECITAL
St James’s Church, 12.00 noon (details page 35)
Wednesday February 16
MESSY CHURCH
St Paul’s Church, 3.30pm
Friday February 18
FILM NIGHT
St Paul’s Church, 7.00pm (details page 36)
Wednesday March 2
ASH WEDNESDAY
Services in St Paul’s (12.30pm) and St James’s (8.00pm).
Further details to be announced
St James Music & Drama Society
is putting on its panto
SLEEPING BEAUTY
Bushey & Oxhey Methodist Church Hall. King Edward Road, Oxhey
Friday March 4 at 7.30pm
Saturday March 5 at 2.30 pm and 7.30pm.
Tickets available from ticketsource.co.uk/stjamesmad or 07930
185573 at £10 (OAPs and children in fulltime education £7.50)
3435
36
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