BUSHEY PARISH MAGAZINE - MAY
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BUSHEY PARISH MAGAZINE MAY 2022 60 pence
God in the Arts
A meal to remember!
The Revd Michael Burgess contemplates The Last Supper by Dirk Bouts
(c1415-75). The painting is preserved in St Peter’s Church, Leuven, Belgium.
When we gather with other Christians to celebrate the Eucharist and
to make our Communion, we are remembering that special meal Jesus
shared with His disciples on the eve of His arrest and death. But do we
always appreciate what we are doing? Sometimes the monotony of
repetition and distractions will get in the way. We fail to recognise
Christ’s gift at Communion for what it truly is.
In the 15th Century, the prosperous burghers of the Flemish city of
Leuven (Louvain) commissioned the local artist Dirk (or Dieric) Bouts
to paint a special altarpiece devoted to the Eucharist for the Church of
St Peter (Sint-Pieterskerk). Bouts, with his imagination, portrayed the
Last Supper in a room looking out on Leuven itself. The faces of the
servers and the cooks peering through the hatch were modelled on the
burghers who commissioned the work.
Other faces are based on theologians at the then-new University of
Leuven (founded 1425) who visited the artist. They wanted to ensure
he kept his theological feet on the ground while his imagination took
2
flight. And so, around the depiction of the Last Supper, Bouts has
painted Old Testament scenes foreshadowing that Holy Communion:
Melchizedek presenting bread and wine in return for Abraham’s
offering; the eating of the first Passover meal; the gathering of manna in
the wilderness; and Elijah wakened by the angel to eat and drink before
setting out for Horeb. Signs of sacrifice, the Passover of the old
covenant, daily food and sustenance for the journey – all are key
aspects of the Communion we celebrate and share.
Just as the theological faculty reminded Dirk Bouts of these facets, so
the artist is reminding us of the richness of the distinctive meal we have
as Christians. We rejoice that the food our Lord gives us in the
Eucharist feeds us now and enables us to make our journey through life
to the eternal banquet offered in the heavenly kingdom.
The Pain of Ukraine
The Revd William Mather is a retired vicar and
still very active artist. He was moved to create
this painting (left) and wrote these words to
accompany it.
Ideas for paintings come in all sorts of ways.
The awfulness of the Russian aggression in
Ukraine has been in all our thoughts and prayers. For me, it was that
early image of the block of flats hit by a missile causing death,
destruction and a gaping hole. With it came a reminder of Jesus on the
cross and a gaping hole in His side from the soldier’s spear. The two
came together in my mind and so a painting idea was born. With it
came thoughts of the great Spanish artist Goya and his powerful
etchings The Disasters of War in protest over the French invasion and
occupation 1810-1820.
The Christian teaching is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
None of us is blameless, not least the soldier with the spear or the
Russians with the missile. But the poignant promise through the pain -
even the pain of Ukraine - is that the message of the cross is more
powerful than any tyrant. Through it comes peace in the heart that
lasts for ever. See also War in Ukraine, pages 12-13
3
Ministry Team
Rector of the Parish of Bushey: POST VACANT
During the interregnum, please direct any administrative or other non-urgent
inquiries to the Parish Office or the Church Wardens (contact details below)
For emergencies requiring the services of a member of clergy,
please contact the Assistant Area Dean:
Revd Vanessa Kerswill 01923 465064
Lay Leader of Worship: Christine Cocks LLW@busheyparish.org
CHURCH WARDENS
wardens@busheyparish.org
Salome Jayaratnam (+second post vacant)
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
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.
PCC Secretary: Martyn Lambert secretary@busheyparish.org
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.
4
Worship in the Parish of Bushey—May 2022
(Provisional. Please check the latest pew-sheet or our social media for updates)
Sunday services
Sunday May 1
8.00am – Holy Communion (BCP), St James’s Church
9.30am – Parish Eucharist, St James’s Church
11.15am – Holy Communion, St Paul’s Church
Sunday May 8
8.00am – Holy Communion (BCP), St James’s Church
9.30am – Parish Eucharist, St James’s Church
11.15am – Holy Communion, St Paul’s Church
Sunday May 15
8.00am – Holy Communion (BCP), St James’s Church
9.30am – Parish Eucharist, St James’s Church
11.15am – Holy Communion, St Paul’s Church
Followed (12.30pm) by Christian Aid Lunch
Sunday May 22
11.30am—Parish Eucharist, St James’s Church*
Followed by bring-and-share lunch and (1.30pm) Parish annual meetings.
*Please note the above is the only service in the Parish this day.
Sunday May 29
8.00am – Holy Communion (BCP), St James’s Church
9.30am – Parish Eucharist, St James’s Church
11.15am – Holy Communion, St Paul’s Church
Regular weekday services
Morning Prayer
9.00am—Tuesdays and Thursdays via Zoom only
(see weekly emails for code)
Further arrangements during the interregnum to be announced.
Every Wednesday
12.30pm – Holy Communion*, St Paul’s Church
*When priest available. Otherwise Midday Prayer
Covid-19: Face-coverings need no longer be worn in any of our Parish buildings, though
individuals may of course continue to wear them by choice. Please respect the hygiene
decisions of others.
5
Farewell, Bushey, and thank you
from Guy and Jessie
The Revd Guy Edwards left his post as Rector of Bushey
on March 31, 2022. Here’s the final message to the
Parish from him and Jessie.
Whilst I have been rector, we have seen an
extraordinary number of comings and goings on the
clergy team, coped with Covid and been through a
major Parish restructure. I am guessing that there
has been more change in the Parish than at any time
in the past half-century – much of it not envisaged
or intended, but driven by circumstances none of us would have
chosen.
Thank you very much to all who have supported and prayed for me in
my leadership position during what has been a turbulent time for the
Parish, as well as for myself, not least because of all that Covid has put
us through. And thank you to so many who welcomed Jessie as she
joined me in the Rectory in November 2020 and for your kindness and
generosity at our wedding in June 2021.
Thank you very warmly for the generous farewell gift with which Jessie
and I were presented, and for all your kind words and encouragements
and by various cards that have come through the door.
We don’t yet know what the future holds for us, what future ministry
will be or what other fields of endeavour might be ahead of us, but we
are very grateful that, for a little while at least, we will be able to take
some time to rest and recharge. No doubt
God’s new directions will emerge in time.
We send you all our best wishes and will
think of you often in our prayers, especially
during the interregnum.
Right: In the Rectory, Guy prepares artwork for his
last session of Messy Church. He and Jessie received
a special presentation from those attending. Above:
Guy’s final Holy Communion in St Paul’s
6
Hall 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
7
Where did Jesus go at the Ascension?
In Salvador Dali’s picture of Jesus ascending, all you can see are His
feet! As we celebrate the event this May 26, it prompts the question
“where did Jesus go?” In his first epistle, Peter says Jesus “has gone into
heaven and is at God’s right hand”. Elsewhere, the New Testament
tells us three things about what He is doing at the Father’s side.
At Pentecost, we are told, Peter said that Jesus is
“exalted to the right hand of God, He has received
from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has
poured out what you now see and hear…The Lord
said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand”’. With these
words, Peter is affirming Jesus’s position of
authority and power at the heart of the universe.
By pouring out the gift of the Holy Spirit upon us,
Jesus gives us a foretaste of the life of heaven -
eternal life, forgiveness, healing, release and God’s
provision for our lives.
When Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was being stoned to death
by the Jewish authorities, he declared, “I see heaven open and the Son
of Man standing at the right hand of God”. Our experience of heaven is
only ever partial, as we live with the reality of suffering and setbacks.
However, Jesus is still on the throne! We are called to trust Him daily.
The Bible also tells us that “Christ Jesus who died….is interceding for
us”. Even when we don’t know how to pray, we have the assurance
that Jesus is already praying for us! He knows our needs even better
than we do ourselves, so when we feel condemned or defeated in our
Christian lives, we have somebody on our side!
The Ascension reminds us that the risen Jesus lives in the immediate
presence of God, and both transcends and embraces our present
experience. This truth lies at the heart of the “up” language used to
describe the event.
“Heaven relates to earth tangentially so that the One who is in heaven can
8
be present simultaneously anywhere and everywhere on earth: the Ascension
therefore means that Jesus is available, accessible, without people having to
travel to a particular spot on the earth to find Him” (Tom Wright, author
and theologian).
Matthias: Apostle chosen by lot
Have you ever happened to be in the right place at the right time, with
certain qualifications, and suddenly realised that God is singling you out
for a special task? If so, Matthias, whom the Church remembers on May
15, is a good patron saint for you!
After Judas had betrayed Jesus and died, the apostles had an urgent task
to perform (Acts 1.15 – 26). A new apostle needed to be chosen. To
qualify, the person had to have been a follower of Christ from His
baptism to the Ascension and also a witness to the Resurrection. In
the event, it came down to two people: Joseph Barsabas and Matthias.
Lots were drawn and Matthias was picked. How confident he must have
felt in his calling! What encouragement that would be when the going
got rough in later years! Matthias is thought to have ministered in
Cappadocia (now Turkey) and even Ethiopia. His emblem is usually an
axe or halberd, regarded by some as the instrument of his martyrdom,
though no one is completely sure how, when or where he died. His
supposed remains were brought from Jerusalem to Rome by the
Empress Helena.
Church Warden vacancy
Greg Batts resigned as Church Warden with effect from April 1, ahead
of an extended period working for his company in Australia. This move
has been on hold for several months because of Covid restrictions and
is not in any way related to the Revd Guy Edwards’s
recent resignation as Rector, Greg stresses.
It is hoped a successor will be elected at the
forthcoming annual Parish meetings (see page 10).
Meanwhile, we thank Greg for all his efforts for the
Parish and wish him and his family Godspeed.
9
Christian Aid Week, May 15-21
In rural Zimbabwe, vulnerable communities face the
threat of more intense droughts, floods, and storms.
Seven out of ten women rely on farming to provide
for their families, but with no rain, women can't grow
enough food. It’s unjust that drought robs women of the power to
provide food for their families. But together, we can restore justice to
our world this Christian Aid Week and beyond. We won’t stop until
everyone can live a full life, free from hunger.
As always, Bushey Parish will be doing its bit to raise funds:-
*Christian Aid Lunch: Sunday May 15, 12.30 for 1.00pm, St Paul’s
Church hall. Tickets £10.00pp, to include buffet lunch and glass of
wine/soft drink, from the Parish Office or Marion Golding
(marion.g.golding@gmail.com or 07787 538 232).
*Qurious Quiz: Daily online brainteasers on the topic of royalty, in
honour of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.
*e-envelopes: We’ll be setting these up so you can donate to
Christian Aid with a simple click.
Further details to be announced.
APCM set for Sunday May 22
This year’s Vestry Meeting and Annual Parochial Church Meeting
(APCM) of the Parish of Bushey will take place on Sunday May 22 from
1.30pm in St James’s Church, following Parish Sung Eucharist
conducted by retired Archdeacon the Ven Jonathan Smith (11.30am)
and a bring-and-share lunch.
The purpose of the two meetings is, respectively: to elect Church
Wardens: and to receive reports on Parish activities and finances in
2021, as well as to elect representatives to the Parochial Church
Council (PCC) and Deanery. The meetings will be chaired by
Archdeacon Jane Mainwaring. Anyone on the current Parish Electoral
Roll may participate.
The electoral roll is now being updated, with a closing date for
amendments of Wednesday May 4. For full details, see page 21.
1011
War in Ukraine: Church’s emergency appeal
The Church of England’s Diocese in Europe and the mission agency
United Society Partners in the Gospel (USPG) have launched an
emergency appeal to get aid to people in desperate need because of
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Funds raised will support Christian charities and churches carrying
out humanitarian work in Ukraine and responding to the arrival of
refugees in neighbouring countries.
Partners on the ground are providing food, medicine, shelter and
care for children and for all those who are internally displaced. For
refugees fleeing the country, including people from Africa and Asia,
they are supplying care at the border and beyond.
The appeal is for urgent help now, but the work will go on for many
months.
The Church of England’s Bishop in Europe, the Rt Revd Robert
Innes, says: "War is horrible. It injures, destroys, and kills in an often
indiscriminate and uncontrollable way. And now, we face war in
Europe.
"The people of our little church, Christ Church in Kyiv, find
themselves in the midst of this crisis. They are typical of so many
others.
"Some have fled the city whilst others are still there; (we are)
praying for their safety and for peace as they shelter as best they can.
These people are our brothers and
sisters. Those still in Ukraine and
those who have fled need our help."
USPG’s General Secretary, the Revd
Duncan Dormor, adds: "Our hearts
and prayers go out to the people of
Ukraine. We have launched this
12appeal in partnership with the Diocese in Europe to stand in
solidarity with the people of Ukraine and support church responses
to the current crisis." To donate to the Ukraine emergency appeal,
visit https://ukraine-emergency-appeal.raisely.com
War in Ukraine: John Rutter
pens new work
Composer John Rutter has written a new
choral work in response to the invasion of
Ukraine. It is called A Prayer for Ukraine and
funds raised from it will go to the Disasters
Emergency Committee’s Ukraine appeal.
Rutter explains: “How can a composer respond to a global tragedy?
I suppose by writing music: like everybody I have been shocked and
dismayed by the events of recent days. The first thing I wanted to do
was write music that would respond in my own way. I went to a
late-night service in my old college chapel where they sang a setting
of a lovely Ukrainian prayer, so, having encountered the Ukrainian
text, on Thursday I wrote my own music. I hope the meaning of the
text will resonate in people’s hearts.”
The words translate into English as: “Good Lord, protect Ukraine.
Give her strength, courage, faith, and hope. Amen.”
The composer adds: “I hope it speaks in terms which reach out to
the Ukrainian people in their hour of need.”
The score is available free by submitting the form to be found online
at Request score for A Ukrainian Prayer (google.com). People are
welcome to duplicate the score for the sole use of their own choirs,
but they may like to make a donation to a Ukrainian relief charity,
perhaps equivalent to the approximate cost of the copies had those
been bought. People are also free, if they wish, to make an audio or
video recording of the piece without a special licence.
Listen to the new work at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=2bx4QFxfW2s
1314
Rogation Sunday: Seeking God’s help
In the Church calendar, the Sunday before the feast of Ascension is
known as Rogation Sunday and it falls on May 22 this year. “Rogation”
means an asking of God - for blessing on the seed and land for the
year ahead. It is also appropriate in any emergency, war, plague,
drought or foul weather.
The practice of seeking divine assistance with the crops began with the
Romans, who called on their gods Terminus and Ambarvalia. In those
days, a crowd moved in procession around the cornfields, singing and
dancing, sacrificing animals and driving away winter with sticks.
In about AD465, the Western world was suffering from earthquake,
storms and epidemic. Mamertius, bishop of Vienne in France, was
aware of the popular pagan custom and decided to adapt it, ordering
that prayers should be said in the ruined or neglected fields on the
days leading up to Ascension.
Rogation-tide arrived in England early in the 8th Century and became a
fixed and perennial asking for help of the Christian God. At Rogation-
tide, a little party would set out to trace the boundaries of the parish.
At the head marched the bishop or priest with a minor official bearing
a cross. After them came the people of the parish, with schoolboys
and their master trailing along. Most held slender wands of willow.
At certain points along the route - well-known
landmarks like a bridge, stile or ancient tree - the
cross halted, the party gathered about the priest
and a litany or rogation was said, imploring God to
send seasonable wealth, keep the corn and roots
and boughs in good health and bring them to an
ample harvest. At some point beer and cheese
would be waiting. The ceremony was known as “beating the bounds”.
In the days when maps were neither common nor accurate, there was
much to be said for it. Beating the bounds was still very widespread as
late as the reign of Queen Victoria. Today in some parishes, including
Bushey, the custom has been revived from time to time.
15Cathedrals ‘at the heart of Covid recovery’
If you value cathedrals, please visit them! You’ll be helping their
recovery in the aftermath of Covid-19. That’s the plea from Dean of
Leicester David Monteith, who chairs the Church of England’s
College of Cathedral Deans, in response to recent data indicating a
fall in the numbers of both visitors and on-site worshippers during
the pandemic.
“Cathedrals across the country are working hard to welcome back
more visitors and worshippers. It is a challenging environment, not
least because of current utility-cost increases, “ the dean says.
“Cathedrals and churches are here to support their communities
including people who are still struggling following Covid-19, and as
focal points for prayer and reflection and action in the light of world
events…
“Local people have supported their cathedrals throughout, and we
are grateful for the emergency grant funding which the government
and Church have provided, but this has now ended.
“Cathedrals serve congregations and wider communities through
worship, heritage, education and civic events.
“They are landmarks which characterise our regions and are
testaments to faith and witness across the centuries. We are
committed – with the help of all who visit, worship and value them -
to ensuring they continue long into the future. We exist for God’s
glory, for all the peoples of England and for those who join us from
further afield.”
Recent figures from the Church of England and the
Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA)
show a 57 per cent reduction in attendances across
all cathedrals, with St Paul’s and Westminster Abbey
both specifically cited.
Between 2019 and 2020, the number of on-site
16worshippers throughout the week fell by 64 per cent, largely due to
the precautionary closure of buildings to the general public for much
of the year.
However, the data also shows that cathedrals stepped up to the
challenge of providing worship and support remotely during the
pandemic, increasingly reaching congregations via online, telephone,
email and postal means.
Cathedrals have now streamed thousands of online services to
people around the world, while the Church of England’s national
online services have been viewed more than 16 million times since
the start of the pandemic. In addition, many local churches have
made their own arrangements for broadcast worship.
•A recent study by the economic research agency Ecorys found that
cathedral visits were rising before the pandemic struck. In 2019,
cathedrals attracted more than 9.5 million tourist and leisure visitors, an
increase of 15 per cent on the 2014 total of 8.2 million
17The meaning of colours (1)
The Revd Dr Jo White continues her
series on reflected faith.
In March, April and May this year the
coloured frontal of the altar will
have been changed many times, as
will the colour of the priest’s
vestments.
Each colour – and there can be as
many as six in a church’s store – has
a different meaning, reflecting the
significance of that day or the
season.
In March, purple was used as a
symbol of penitence, as we were in
Lent and trying to prepare ourselves for Christ’s final act of love for
each of us.
Holy Week, the time of Christ’s final journey, was denoted by red.
The colour of blood is used for feasts of martyrs as well as those for
the Holy Spirit, although then it more probably represents the flames
of “fire” that rested on the disciples in the upper room at Pentecost.
On Maundy Thursday we switched to white for any Communion
service, as this celebrates the first Communion with Jesus’s apostles,
which He commanded us to continue. Good Friday, and we were back
to red.
Then on Easter Sunday, the day of the greatest Christian celebration,
we entered to an altar bedecked in gold or the “whitest” white, with
the most elaborate decoration the church concerned possesses.
“Plain” white is used for the Easter season, signifying purity and
Christ’s triumph over death. On Ascension Day, a special and most
significant occasion in the life, death and resurrection of Christ, the
colour is gold again. Immediately after Ascension, it’s back to white for
18the next 10 days. On the day of Pentecost itself, Whit Sunday, the
colour will be...? Yes, you’ve got it - red for flames of fire, as in the
Pentecost 2021 photo from St James’s on page 18.
To do this month: Watch out for the changing colours indicating the
special meanings each day has in the life of the Church. If you could
choose a different colour for a different or even one of the same
meanings, what would you choose and why? In June, it will all change
again, so we’ll consider those next time.
Palm Sunday in the Parish
The Parish of Bushey was delighted to
welcome the Bishop of Hertford, the Rt
Revd Dr Michael Beasley, to preside at
Palm Sunday and Holy Week services
in both our churches. In accordance
with tradition, Palm Sunday worship
began outside, with some lusty singing
and waving of palm crosses to attract
the attention of passers-by in the High
Street and Bushey Hall Road.
Many thanks to Bishop Michael and to
Church Warden Salome, who made
the crosses.
1920
Christian Basics (5): Understanding the Bible
The Bible is a popular book, with 5 billion copies sold worldwide every
year, as well as being uniquely precious. At her coronation, the Queen
was given a Bible, “the most precious thing this world affords”. The
Bible isn’t simply one book, though. It’s a library of 66 books,
composed by some 44 writers over a period of 1,500 years in a range
of genres including history, poetry, prophecy, letters and apocalyptic
(looking at the end times). Despite having a number of different
writers, the Bible claims one author - God Himself!
As the Word of God, it is the primary way by which God speaks to us.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may
be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16). The
Bible is inspired (“the Word of God in the words of men”) and is a
manual for life, equipping us to live for God in every aspect of our
existence. We also have the promise of the Holy Spirit, who helps us
to apply its words: “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will
guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).
The Bible can also be described as a love letter from God, as it
deepens our relationship with Him. Jesus said: “You diligently study the
Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.
These are the Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come
to Me to have life” . Christians follow a person, not a book, and the
Scriptures are intended to help us to know Jesus better. Like a
signpost, they point us to the person of Jesus. - Paul Hardingham
Our Parish Electoral Roll is being updated in advance of the Parish
annual meetings on May 22*. Those wishing to be added must complete and
submit an application form by Wednesday May 4. The forms are available
from the Parish Office, either of our churches or online at https://
www.stalbans.anglican.org/wp-content/uploads/Application-for-Enrolment-Electoral-
Roll-2020.pdf They may be returned to the Parish Office, St Paul’s Church or
via email to er@busheyparish.org. Please use the same email address to notify
the Electoral Roll Officer of people who have moved away or for other
reasons might wish to be removed from the roll. When updated, the roll
will be available for inspection on request. *Meetings information, page 10.
21Items needed for SP’s weekly Bargain Table
Please consider donating your unwanted gifts and small saleable items
to St Paul’s, where they can be included on the new, expanded Bargain
Table at our weekly Coffee, Cake & Chat sessions.
We’re hoping to generate much-needed funds for the Parish following
the demise of our regular St Paul’s jumble sales. But having a weekly
sale instead means we require more stock!
Although most things saleable and in good condition
are welcome, we’re unable to take books, CDs,
DVDs, clothing (apart from accessories) and very
large items. If you’re unsure, please give me a call on
07787 538232.
Please join us any Wednesday in St Paul’s between 10.00am and 12.00
noon for coffee and home-made cake, to help with a jigsaw or just for
a chat. There’s also a short service at 12.30pm for anyone who
wishes to stay. – Marion Golding
22The summerhouse was a sadder place
The Summerhouse To a lad of just seventeen;
Poem by Roger Prangnell When grandmother's life was near its
(Originally written in 2004. Reworked end
for Bushey Parish Magazine, 2022). It was such a different scene.
As I waited and watched in the fading
light
The summerhouse stands on a high At the end of a golden day,
green bluff My sister sighed sadly, took hold of my
With a view to the open sea; hand:
When I was a lad of seven short years 'Dear Granny has passed away.'
Now that was the place to be!
Imagination was king of the day To a man of seven and thirty years
In grandmother's garden of joy. Who had been away to the war,
It painted the scenes that were woven The summerhouse now was a place of
well peace
In the mind of a playful boy. To rest and to think once more.
The seat I shared with my soulmate dear
For the wooden house was a castle Who also had witnessed strife;
keep We vowed we'd often come back again
Surrounded by walls and towers, However busy our life.
Where I stood with my friends to hold at
bay
The armies of foreign powers. At fifty-seven the times were good
Or maybe the timbers were masts of a In that garden above the sea
ship Just watching the children running
As we sailed on the foaming sea, round
Where the wind blew strong and the Now that was the place to be!
deck boards creaked; Their games were somewhat different
Now that was the place to be! from ours
Though still in this special place;
The summerhouse now a starship bold
Taking voyagers into space.
At seventy-seven years and more
Of life's events, bad and good,
The summerhouse brings back
memories fond
That weave in the weathered wood.
I sit here gazing over the sea,
Perhaps to make peace with God;
Now this is the place to be and recall
The many long paths I've trod!
23FRIENDS OF BUSHEY MUSEUM
Bushey Museum is open every
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
11.00am-4.00pm
Do come along and see our latest acquisition
The Lady in White
by Sir Hubert von Herkomer
We’re also online at www.busheymuseum.org
Bushey Museum & Art Gallery, Rudolph Road WD23 3HW
NOW ALSO OPEN ON SUNDAYS!
24The hymns of the Wesleys
On May 24, the Church calendar celebrates the lives of John and
Charles Wesley. The great gift of John Wesley (1703-91) to the
Christian cause was founding the worldwide movement known as
Methodism. His brother Charles (1707-88) had an equally profound
impact through his hymns. He wrote more than 6,000 of them,
although most aren’t sung nowadays. Among those we do still sing are
some all-time favourites – Love divine, all loves excelling; O for a thousand
tongues to sing; Jesu lover of my soul; Hark the herald angels sing – and
scores more.
Forty years ago, almost everybody knew quite a lot of hymns, but sadly
that’s no longer true. Traditional hymns aren’t usually sung at school
assemblies, not even in church schools, and while the audience for
Songs of Praise on BBC TV is substantial, most of those watching are
over the age of 50.
With only about 10 per cent of the population even irregular
churchgoers, there is inevitably a lack of familiarity with hymns of any
kind. Christmas carols are an exception, as are Jerusalem and Amazing
Grace, because they are frequently heard outside church.
Singing hymns is a wonderful experience at its best – just ask a Welsh
rugby crowd belting out Bread of Heaven! It seems a pity to lose that.
It’s not a bad idea to take a few minutes to decide which is
your favourite hymn and why. Ancient or modern doesn’t
matter. Then try singing it in the bath or under the shower.
It’s a very purifying experience!
Museum’s crown contest
On Saturday May 28, Bushey Museum is holding a “Decorate a Crown”
competition for children, as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. It
takes place in the museum in Rudolph Road from 10.00am to 11.30am,
with judging at 12.00 noon. There are three age categories - under 5, 6
-8 and 9-11. Entry fee is £2.50 per child and there are prizes. Children
must be accompanied by an adult, for whom there will be no charge.
25The Blessed Virgin Mary visits Elizabeth
Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus. For centuries, both Eastern and
Western Churches have considered her pre-eminent among all the
saints.
In the Gospels, Mary makes her first appearance as a teenager.
Nothing is said of her childhood and what we do know of her is found
mostly in the first two chapters of Matthew and Luke. If you read
both accounts, you’ll notice that Luke seems to give the story from
Mary’s standpoint, whereas Matthew concentrates more on Joseph’s
side of things. Nevertheless, the virginal conception of Christ is clearly
stated in both.
Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth when
each was pregnant is a moving and
poignant account of two humble, ordinary
women, suddenly caught up in a great
event that would shape world history.
Their trusting faith in God and acceptance
of His will shine through.
After Jesus is born, Mary fades into the background, and makes few
appearances: when the family visits Jerusalem and she loses her son on
the way home; when she urges Him to help the wedding party in Cana
with its wine problem; and when Jesus gives her into the keeping of
the beloved disciple when He is dying on the cross. Mary’s last
appearance is in Acts 1, just before Pentecost.
Mary obviously joined the early Church, but her role was never one
of teaching and preaching. Indeed, she remained so much in the
background that nothing more about her is known for certain. Both
Ephesus and Jerusalem have claimed to be the place of her death.
Mary, chosen to be the mother of Jesus Christ, one who is both God
and Man, holds a unique place in the history of humankind. Down the
centuries the Church has paid special honour to her – and well
deserved it is. “All generations shall call me blessed…”
26Library book returned - 313 years late
If you have ever been late in returning a library book, take heart: the
1704 copy of The Faith and Practice of a Church of England Man was
recently handed back to Sheffield Cathedral.
A handwritten inscription inside reads: “This Book belongs to ye
Lending Library in Sheffield Church 1709.” It left the library just over
300 years ago.
Sheffield Cathedral’s Revd Canon Keith Farrow says a deceased
woman who lived locally had asked in her will for the volume to be
returned. "Now it’s come home. It’s a joy to have this little jewel back
in the cathedral.”
With overdue fines of 50p a day, librarians could have charged the
woman’s family more than £54,000 for the book, which itself is worth
about £300. The canon joked: “We might have got a new roof or
something.”
27The story behind Thine be the glory
Here is a hymn that is so well-known and loved that it has simply burst
the bounds of Easter and gets sung regularly at other times of the year.
It actually has not one, but two stories behind it.
First, the music. This rousing piece did not start out
as a hymn, but was written by GF Handel (left) for
his opera Judas Maccabeus, first performed in 1746.
Originally the words ran “See the conquering hero
comes”, for this is the story (found in the
Apocrypha) of the leader of the Jews, Judas
Maccabeus, who commanded an army against the
Syrians and restored worship at the Temple. With
its triumphant refrain after each verse, the music is easy to learn and
sing. It can be (and has been) played to great effect by the trumpets, on
an organ in a large resonant church or even on guitars.
Second, the words of the hymn. Those were not written until 1884,
nearly 140 years after the operatic original. We owe them in the first
place to the Revd Raymond Budry of Lausanne, Switzerland. Ordained
in the Free Evangelical Church in Vaud, he spent 35 years as the pastor
of Vevey on Lake Geneva. Budry wrote the hymn in French (A Toi La
Gloire!) to console himself after the death of his first wife. A year later it
was published in Chants Evangeliques. Soon it found its way into English,
translated by a Baptist minister from Kingston-upon-Thames, Richard
Hoyle.
It is not clear who first had the happy idea of teaming those words with
that music, but when whoever did, the hymn really took off. By 1904 it
was being translated into other languages.
The theme of “battle” is never far from this hymn, whether it is the
battle of Judas Maccabeus or the battle over sin won by Christ on the
cross and in rising from the tomb. Easter, of course, marks the biggest
victory over the biggest enemies of all time: sin and death.
What would Handel make of it, if he could know that his battle music
28has become one of the world’s most popular Easter hymns? He was a
devout man, working for the poor, praying twice each day and
attending St Paul’s Cathedral. It seems pretty certain he would be
delighted.
English is becoming, like, less formal stuff, maybe, ok?
In the biggest-ever study of its kind, researchers from Lancaster
University looked at 100 million words to analyse linguistic trends.
“The most striking thing we found is how informal language has
become. There has been a systematic shift towards more informal
vocabulary and grammar”, says one of the experts involved.
For example, there has been a steep decline in the use of modal verbs
- those that express necessity or possibility, such as “shall”, “must” and
“may”. It has become far less common to refer to someone as “Mr” or
“Mrs”; first names are used more and more often, even in formal
letters.
Split infinitives (“to boldly go”), once frowned on by most grammarians,
are on the rise. So are abbreviations such as “omg” (oh my God),
“tbh” (to be honest) and “defo” (definitely). They are used so much
that they are now common parlance.
Could apostrophes become a thing of the past? In the last three
decades, their use has declined by 8 per cent.
On the other hand, appearances of the word “amazing” have increased
fivefold, from 16.6 times per million words to 88.6 times per million.
Similarly, “maybe” turns up almost three times more often than it did
60 years ago, at 236.1 per million words from 89.3 per million.
“In” words and phrases nowadays also include: a bit; cos (for
“because”); focus group; fame; global; internet; just; like; maybe; me;
net; ok; online; phone; really; stuff; and website.
Others in decline include: authority; church;
employment; which; whom; telephone; unemployment;
upon; and usually.
2930
The Children’s Page
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
BAPTISM
“We welcome you to the Lord’s family”
April 3, 2022
Arthur Stenson
INTERMENT OF ASHES
“Ashes to ashes”
April 21, 2022
Paul Carter
33DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – MAY 2022
Wednesdays throughout May
COFFEE, CAKE & CHAT + BARGAIN TABLE-SALE
St Paul’s Church, 10.00am-12.00 noon. Followed by Midday Prayers (12.30pm).
Saturdays May 7 and 14
SATURDAY RECITAL
St James’s Church, 12.00 noon. See page 35
Mondays May 9 and 23
ST JAMES’S 60+ CLUB
Church House, 2.30pm
60+
Topics: Brenda Batten: Her life and career as a councillor (May 9); Ricky:
Music and vocals (May 23). Contact details: see page 33
Sunday May 15
CHRISTIAN AID LUNCH
St Paul’s Church, 12.30 for 1.00pm. See page 10
Wednesday May 18
MESSY CHURCH
St Paul’s Church, 3.30pm
Sunday May 22
PARISH ANNUAL MEETINGS
St James’s Church, 1.30pm. See page 10
And looking further ahead…
Sunday June 5
QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS
In and around St James’s Church all day. Further details to be
announced
100 Club winners in March
Congratulations to our 100 Club winners for March: Katherine
Whittaker (£60); Gay Butler (£40); and Caroline Kent (£20).
*For more information about the 100 Club, contact Clare Humphreys on 020 8950
6352 or see www.busheyparish.org/parish-100-club
34More volunteers wanted to help serve refreshments, set up/clear up or
to make cakes for our Saturday morning refreshments in Church House. If
you would be willing, please contact Salome via wardens@busheyparish.org
3536
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