MAGAZINE Mickleton Parish
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Mickleton
Parish
MAGAZINE
April 2021
The nice thing
about becoming
forgetful is that
you can hide your
own Easter eggs.
church services at st Lawrence church
APRIL 2021
SEE
LOCAL NOTICEBOARDS
Welcome to Our April Edtion
Spring is here at last! The crocus and daffodils are everywhere, and soon
their golden trumpets will herald the return of life and light and warmth.
They are good companions for us during Lent, reminding us of the
inexpressible joy that lies ahead of us, both on Easter Sunday morning, and
also one day beyond the grave.
With the great sacrifice of Good Friday in mind, look out for our artwork on
The Stations of the Cross this month scattered throughout the magazine
We have received some response to the request for readers to share 100
words on “A day in my life under lockdown” or about how you have been
spending your time at home and what you actually like about it and we have
included them in this month’s magazine, but please keep them coming in.
Stay safe and stay alert—Your Editors
Elevator Music? What does Easter mean for us, for you? We have heard the sto- ry so many times that it can lose its impact. The miracle of East- er is at the centre of the Christian faith, the fulcrum around which history pivots but it too often has become ordinary and humdrum, and the original shock, excitement and wonder can be absent altogether. Trystan Hughes the author of, Opening Our Lives reports in a blog post that an album that had been produced in collaboration between the English National Opera, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and Glen Matlock (the bass play- er in the original line-up of the Sex Pistols). They had taken punk songs that had stirred a generation and arranged them for an orchestra and opera singers. Whilst some people think the album, “The Anarchy Arias,” is wonderful, for others the exper- iment fails spectacularly. The songs that were brash and unpolished, sung and shout- ed in protest, have been refined, the imperfections have been removed and, as a re- sult, their power and energy has been diminished even lost. The rallying cries to the disenfranchised are muted and impotent. Has something similar happened to Easter? The terrible, bloody and violent death of Good Friday has become sanitised, tastefully portrayed in pictures if at all. The loss, confusion and despair of Holy Saturday are skated over or ignored. The wonder of Easter taken for granted. Has the miracle of Easter, the extent of God’s love been ed- ited, sanded and polished over the years so that it has become less shocking, so that it is more palatable and less challenging? Jesus died because of God’s great love you us, his over-whelming, never ending reckless love. The love than God demonstrated at Easter changed history. Trystan wrote, “For two thousand years, Christianity has been known as a faith of love. Je- sus’s teaching on love, not to mention his life of love, has inspired groups and individ- uals to challenge the status quo, to stand up for those are oppressed, to speak for those with no voice, and to lay down their lives for those in need. Yes, people like St Francis, William Wilbourforce, Corrie Ten Boom, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa; but also countless other nameless people who lived out the sacrifice that Christian love demands of us. This call on our lives is radical and revolutionary and it bucks the prevailing individualistic and materialist worldview in today’s world.” Reading about “Anarchy Arias” made me think of the music we hear in lifts, in super- markets or whilst on hold to a call centre. Music that fills the space but demands no response; inoffensive noise that has little, if any, impact. Has something similar hap- pened to Easter? As people of faith we should shake off the saccharine secularisa- tion of Easter that turns it into a gentle celebration of spring. There is more to Easter than the Easter bunny and chocolate eggs. If we inhabit the horror and wonder of Easter then we open ourselves to the love of God. His love brings comfort but it also brings transformation. God loves is complete and unconditional but it is also radical and revolutionary. Jesus died that we might be reconciled to God. His love re- orientates our lives and changes our hearts so we love just as God loves. His love in- vites us to ask how we can, in our everyday lives, reach out in love to others so that they too might know that they are beloved by God. Happy Easter and every blessing Revd Craig
GARDEN OF MEMORY
The Parish Council have agreed to create a Garden of Memory in Mickleton to
celebrate those people from the village who gave their lives in service of their
country during the two World Wars.
The garden will be located on Parish Council owned land in the triangle
behind the church car park and the churchyard, and will include a monument
with the names of the fallen
The garden will be open to everyone and in addition to the memorial, the
garden has been planted with a mixture of fruit trees, including both cooking
and eating apple, pear, plums, nectarines and damson.
The large part of the garden will be allowed to grow throughout the summer
as a wilding project and cut in September before the autumn.
Three benches will be placed around the garden and we are hoping that this
area can become a place to encourage and allow wildlife to flourish in this
habitat, whilst provif
Residents are invited to be a part of the garden and donations towards the
trees, benches and the monument can be made to Mickleton Parish Council
at the Parish Office or by post to Mickleton Parish Council, c/o King George’s
Hall, Chapel Lane, Mickleton GL55 6SU.
We are hoping to have the project completed by the end of this summer.
Donations have already been received both from a major Mickleton based
charity and from a well known local business, however more donations will
be very welcome to help ensure the project is completed as planned,.
This garden, in a beautiful setting, will provide a memorial to those who
made the ultimate sacrifice whilst providing a perfect location for a
few minutes of peace and quiet in the centre of our wonderful village .
The Parish Council
would also like to
have a copy of any
photographs of
those who died for
reproduction around
the garden and also
are looking for
Information of those
men from Mickleton
who died in the
Second World War to
include on the
memorial
Any information
please call 430175
Betty Ravenscroft was born 22nd December 1918 in Aston,
Birmingham in a world very different to the one we know today.
But, in strange symmetry to this year, the world was also under
attack from a pandemic of the Spanish Flu.
Betty spent her early years in Surrey and attended school at
Lower Kingswood and then Kingston Commercial School and in
1934 she started at the Westminster Bank in Reigate. In
1941 she was sent to the Southsea branch as a relief cashier
and it was here she met Maurice Bickel. Betty only spent 2
weeks in Southsea, then returned to Reigate branch. While
there she served as an Air Raid Warden in Lower Kingswood.
Maurice joined the navy, so over the following three years they
cannot have met many times. However they obviously had a connection because in 1944
they married and one year later their daughter Sue was born.
In 1946 Maurice was demobbed and as times were hard and to help the family finances,
as soon as Sue went to school Betty took a position as secretarial assistant to
Donald Campbell, the water speed record holder. Betty told how she was responsible for
coordinating transportation of Donald’s new boat Bluebird from Horley, Surrey to Lake
Coniston, liaising with all the police forces on the way.
Maurice and Betty were finally able to buy their first home together and Maurice returned
to his job at Westminster Bank at the Epsom branch and in 1954 their family was
completed by the arrival of their son David.
They thought Maurice had sacrificed his career for the war but between 1955-1965 he
received rapid promotion Epsom-Dorking-Oxford-Southsea-Hastings-Chelmsford, which
meant them moving house every two years or so. He ended his career as one of the
most senior managers in SE England and many of his achievements were due to Betty’s
loyal support, successfully managing home and family life. He was devoted to Betty and
he so valued her support and companionship.
Betty nursed her mother until her death in 1978 and then Maurice until he died in1980.
As we know, Betty moved house many times due to Maurice's job and after she was
widowed she decided to settle in Mickleton, to be close to Sue and her family in Badsey.
In 1982, she moved into her beloved cottage where she remained for the rest of her life.
Betty loved Mickleton and village life, and it was here that she enjoyed many interests
including art club, book club, the gardening club, theatre club, the WI where she was
treasurer for a time, and she was also on the church cleaning rota.
Betty was always a willing babysitter when Sue was working, and was there to help Sue
with decorating, gardening and general homemaking. She also enjoyed several canal
holidays with Sue and family. Betty enjoyed travelling abroad to see her family in South
Africa and Japan as well as lots of European holidays with her friend Betty Dirkin, always
known to the family as 'Betty's friend Betty'.
She made a huge number of good friends, many of whom she outlived, and others who
were able to celebrate her 100th birthday with her at home in 2018.
The following words were written by her grandchildren Sarah and Simon
Grannie was very much part of our family life when I was growing up. I’d come home
from school and Grannie would be there to greet me. She would give me a few coins and
I’d be off to Badsey shop (Lucy’s) for a plain chocolate Bounty for her and anything
Cadbury’s for me. She would allow me to watch the Australian soaps as long as we
watched her favourite - Countdown - She was better at the letters while I preferred the
numbers game. After the 30 seconds were up she’d declare a 7 or 8 letter word while I
reeled off my list of 3 letter words!
Growing up I always knew Christmas wasn’t far away when Grannie was cleaning the silver and making the Christmas cake. We celebrated Grannie’s 'last' Christmas about 15 years ago, and every Christmas since. It became our family joke, but it meant a lot to her to have the family together just for those few days celebrating both her birthday and Christmas. Sometimes it is easy to forget how wonderful someone is when they are such a part of your life. Celebrating Grannie’s 100th birthday was a reminder for us. We were very proud to tell everyone how old she was! Her great grandchildren, Sam and Alice, were in awe when we found a photo at Charlecote Park taken on 22nd December 1918, “that photo was taken on the day Great Grannie was born!” I told them. Their jaws dropped as we talked about all the changes Great Grannie had lived through. We all agreed, how amazing! I was reminded of my pride and affection for Grannie in the many condolences I have received from friends over the last couple of weeks. I remember Sunday lunches at Grannie’s house in the 1970’s generally culminating in a bright orange jelly, flecked with segments of tinned mandarins. Betty’s cooking was famous in the family. In fact after this service the family are all logging in from around the world to celebrate her life with a fish pie made to her recipe. When Grannie moved in with us for a few months I would join her after school. To chat, to share a cup of tea and read the Fred Basset cartoon with her. Grannie was always engaged in life and well-informed. On first hearing my wife-to-be Karina’s surname “Lores Suárez”, she replied without missing a beat, “¿Suárez? Wasn’t he your Prime Minister?” Her lady-like poise, quintessential polite Englishness and sharp mind earned her the affectionate nickname “Miss Marple” among my Spanish in-laws. In later years, as she was unable to get out so much, Betty relied on friends and neighbours to keep her abreast of village news. Sue, David and family would like to extend their special thanks to Maureen, Hazel, Sheila Hilton and Gavin (who kept her treasured garden in trim when she was no longer able) and to the daily visit from Dan The Postman. Thanks to them and others she was able to keep in touch with Mickleton comings and goings. Betty suffered a couple of falls at home, and it was Maureen and Hazel who found her and kept her comfortable until the ambulance arrived. Betty wore an alarm, but didn't use it on either occasion: she claimed she fell awkwardly and couldn't reach it, but we suspect it was because she didn't want to be a nuisance! Gradually she required more and more help from carers. Vanessa, Natalie, Dawn, Valda and Alex looked after her shopping, cooking and washing and became members of Betty's extended family. She was very fond of them all, and thoroughly enjoyed the company they provided. Cheska, Tsvety, Nick and Clay were responsible for her personal care. Without the valuable help of these carers, Betty's life would not have been as comfortable and happy as it was right up to the end. Betty passed away at home, just as she wanted surrounded by those she loved. Betty was loving, kind, generous, warm hearted and would always put everyone before herself. She also had a great sense of humour and a real twinkle in her eye. Betty meant a great deal to many people, she was very much loved and will be greatly missed. Rest in peace Betty, we will miss you. Thank you for your advice, support, wise words and love. - Family Tributes to Betty Bickel , Dec 22nd 1918 - Feb 4th 2021
APRIL AT ST. LAWRENCE’S,
MICKLETON Details of
UJp-to-date details on Church Opening the services
can be found via the church web-site
in April are
https:// not
www.stjameschurchcampden.co.uk/
mickletonparish.htm available at
time of
You can also find short vide-
os from the Vicar Revd Craig going to
reflecting on various aspects press. Please see local notice
of faith and lockdown on the
web-site boards for more details
Station of the Cross 1
The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also
known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers
to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day
of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The sta-
tions grew out of imitations of Via Dolorosa in
Jerusalem which is believed to be the actual path
Jesus walked to Mount Calvary. The objective of the
stations is to help the Christian faithful to make a
spiritual pilgrimage through contemplation of the
Passion of Christ. It has become one of the most
popular devotions and the stations can be found in
many Western Christian churches, including
Anglican,Lutheran, Methodist, and Roman Catholic. The style, form, and
placement of the stations vary widely. The typical stations are small plaques
with reliefs or paintings placed around a church nave. Modern minimalist
stations can be simple crosses with a numeral in the centre. Occasionally
the faithful might say the stations of the cross without there being any im-
age, such as when the pope leads the stations of the cross around the
Colosseum in Rome on Good Friday.
Andrew Philip Bridges 20/11/1947 - 06/02/2021
Andrew, originally from Bristol, grew up with one sister and followed a life
in technical engineering.
Moving to Mickleton in 1971 made his home building “Cosy Cott” cottage
and raising his family whilst running Cotswold Heating.
Thank you to all customers and friends in the village who were part of the
journey.
He will be at peace in a beautiful place in Mickleton cemetery
5th April: Vincent Ferrer, Dominican who opposed a Pope
Leaving England to live in Spain was popular
long before the TV show ‘Location Location Lo-
cation’ was ever invented. Back in 1350 Vincent
Ferrer’s parents had left England to settle in
Valencia, where their son Vincent was born and
grew up. In 1367, when he was 17, Vincent felt
called by God to become a monk, and joined
the Dominican order. The reason for his ‘call’
was soon clear: Vincent had outstanding gifts
as both a philosopher and as a preacher.
What is preaching? If you think of it as a way of
bringing the reality of God and the love of Je-
sus Christ to people, then that is a good sum-
mary of what Vincent did for all who heard him.
In the great tradition of John the Baptist, he
called them to come to God by way of repentance for their sins. In the tradi-
tion of St Peter, the apostle to the Jews, Vincent was also heard by many
Jews in Valencia. A great number of these listened to his preaching and
came to believe that Jesus was indeed their promised Messiah. (One of
these Jewish converts went on to become bishop of Cartagena.)
Vincent’s preaching met with extraordinary success in France, Spain and It-
aly. He seems to have been an evangelist
at heart, for his topics were sin, the Last
Judgement, and Eternity. In Spain such
large numbers of both Gentiles and Jews
wanted to hear him that no church was
big enough to contain the crowds: and so
Vincent preached in the open air.
When in 1414 the Council of Constance
attempted to end the Great Schism (there
were two Popes fighting for the same job),
Vincent persuaded Ferdinand, King of
Aragon, to withdraw his allegiance to the
doubtful contender, Pope Benedict. The
end result was that Benedict’s credibility
collapsed, and the schism was ultimately
healed. Vincent went back to preaching
and spent his last three years in Norman-
dy and Brittany, where he died at Vannes
in 1419, worn out by all his labours.
CINEMA showings
at KING GEORGE’S HaLL
King George's Hall Rural Cinema WILL RESUME THEIR MONTHLY CINEMA
EVENINGS FROM THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF JULY 2021 AT 7.30 PM
Tickets £4.50 can be purchased in advance from the Hall on Wednesday or
Friday mornings between 10 am and noon, or purchased on the door
Additional to this AFTERNOON showings will take place IN JULY AT 2.30 PM
ON THURSDAYS
The King George's Hall is operating new entrance and exit procedures and
the main room is regularly "fogged" with V2 Antiviral disinfectant in line with
completely revised KGH risk assessments, plus all other necessary social
distancing and sanitization requirements.
Station of the Cross 2
Commonly, a series of 14 images will be
arranged in numbered order along a path
and the faithful travel from image to im-
age, in order, stopping at each station to
say the selected prayers and reflections.
This will be done individually or in a pro-
cession most commonly during Lent, es-
pecially on Good Friday, in a spirit of
reparation for the sufferings and insults
that Jesus endured during his passionMaundy Thursday, time to wash feet
Maundy Thursday is famous for two things.
The first is one of the final acts that Jesus
did before His death: the washing of His
own disciples’ feet (see John 13). Jesus
washed His disciples’ feet for a purpose:
“A new command I give you: Love one an-
other. As I have loved you, so you must
love one another.” His disciples were to
love through service, not domination, of
one another.
In Latin, the opening phrase of this sen-
tence is ‘mandatum novum do vobis’. The
word ‘mundy’ is thus a corruption of the
Latin ‘mandatum’ (or command). The cere-
mony of the ‘washing of the
feet’ of members of the congre-
gation came to be an important
part of the liturgy (regular wor-
ship) of the medieval church,
symbolising the humility of the
clergy, in obedience to the ex-
ample of Christ.
But Thursday was also im-
portant because it was on that
night that Jesus first introduced
the Lord’s Supper, or what we
nowadays call Holy Communion.
Jesus and His close friends had met in a secret upper room to share the
Passover meal together - for the last time. And there Jesus transformed the
Passover into the
Lord’s Supper, say-
ing, ‘this is my body’
and ‘this is my blood’
as He, the Lamb of
God, prepared to die
for the sins of the
whole world. John’s
gospel makes it clear
that the Last Supper
took placeST LAWRENCE CHURCH
CO-ORDINATORS FOR -
Treasurer Richard Day 01386 438279
Bells David Clark 01386 438785
Flowers Janet Barlow 01386 430183
Ministry of Welcome } Anne Clifford 01386 438695
Coffee & Biscuits }
Magazine
Editor Phil and Niki Britt
01386 430175
Adverts Edward Stowe
01386 858900
Station of the Cross 3THEATRE COMING HOME TO STRATFORD
Audiences will now get the chance to see two of postponed
2020 productions: The Winter's Tale and The Comedy of Errors.
THE WINTER'S TALE
Directed by Erica Whyman, a
filmed version of The
Winter's Tale will be
broadcast on BBC Four
around Shakespeare's
birthday in April, before
being made available on BBC
iPlayer.. This adaptation is
part of BBC Lights Up, an
unprecedented season of
plays for BBC TV and radio,
produced in
partnership with theatres across the UK and continuing BBC Arts' Culture in
Quarantine initiative.
The Winter's Tale will feature the original cast and creative team working on
the production last year, but will be adapted for the television broadcast.
Erica said: "This is the most perfect play to be rehearsing as we begin to
believe in recovery. It speaks with profound insight of the abuse of power, of
the need for truth and justice, of the central importance of family, and of how
long it can take a nation to forgive and to heal.
"We have been working on this play for 15 months – with our own wide gaps
– and we have learned so much about what the play means. It is now filled
with our collective understanding of what it is to find our world suddenly
stopped in its tracks, and of Shakespeare’s compassion for lives changed
forever. It is a huge privilege to be bringing it back to life at last."
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
In the summer, live performances will restart for in-person audiences in
Stratford-upon-Avon with an outdoor production of The Comedy of Errors,
directed by Phillip Breen. The show will be reconceived to open the newly
created Garden Theatre, a specially constructed outdoor performance space
in the Swan Gardens, flanked by the River Avon and overlooked by the Swan
Theatre.
Full casting and creative team details, along with more information about the
performance schedule and the Garden Theatre, will be available in April.MICKLETON SOCIETY The Mickleton Society meeting held by Zoom on Wednesday March 3 was ad- dressed by Judith Ellis, volunteer archivist at the Chipping Campden History Society, who talked about the VAD Hospital at Norton Hall and in particular the role played by Mickleton in helping the recovery of soldiers wounded dur- ing World War 1. Norton Hall was owned by Samuel Bruce an Irish distillery owner but in 1914 it became a convalescent home for wounded soldiers and was run by the VAD - Voluntary Aid Detachment - with Mr Bruce’s daughter Maye Bruce as its commandant and Mary Chandler her superintendent. It was home not for officers but for “other ranks” most of whom at the begin- ning were Belgian soldiers, who after their injuries had been tended to in Bir- mingham were then transferred to Norton Hall to convalesce and where they were impressively looked after by local women often joining the service from their work as servants or farm workers and only one of whom, Mary Dee, was full time. As well as the nurses Mickleton also provided stretcher bearers and workers to mend and clean at the hall, while local market gardeners supplied fruit, veg. and other gifts. The whole enterprise had been got under way very quickly and efficiently and in all over 2000 soldiers were treated at the hall, with 1917 being the heaviest year. Judith Ellis’s detailed research involving the post card albums of Mary Dee, the photographs of Jesse Taylor and articles in the Evesham Journal as well as letters of thanks from those who had been cared for at the Hall, gave us as full a picture as possible of the lives and personalities of those involved in this invaluable institution. We saw photographs of the wounded in their “hospital blue” uniforms and also dressed up in costumes for entertainments they were putting on as well as of the nurses tending them. Clearly a caring community had been created. And that community stretched out beyond the Hall itself - there was a fund raising show put on in Chipping Campden and eggs galore collected in Wes- ton Sub Edge! After the war the Hall was sold in 1921 and Mary Bruce, who received the MBE for her services, became involved with the Soil Association and died in Cirencester in 1964 while Mary Dee became Headmistress of Paxford Primary school and lived in Blockley until she died in 1977. This was clearly a local enterprise and venture of which all involved can be proud. The next meeting of the Society is the AGM on Wednesday April 14 and at the meeting on May the 12th we will learn about Royal Worcester Porcelain. For details of membership please contact Geoff Field on geoff.field@btinternet.com or phone 07793 592 256.
Mickleton Theatregoers Club
“Let there be light!”
“Lights! … Music! … Action!….” As all other village
groups and societies, activities of the Theatregoers have
ground to a shuddering halt. There is a small shaft of light,
however, at the end of this incredibly long tunnel. More
and more members have received their first dose of a vac-
cination, and a second will make everyone feel much safer
and more inclined to venture into public arenas and share
spaces such as theatres and concert halls!
We now have a provisional ‘escape route’ from this pandemic in the form of a
government roadmap. In the summer there should be scope for social activi-
ty. We will of course be ‘guided by the science’ but are hoping that an out-
door event can be scheduled. We may organise a social event but will be
guided by the views of our members. In the
meantime, we now – jointly with the Mickleton
Society – have a ‘Zoom’ account and may
organise talks for members. Any suggestions
for speakers or topics are welcome!
People who have recently moved into the village
may not be aware of the great range of activities
usually on offer. If you are a new resident and
would like to know more of the trips and activi-
ties that the Theatregoers organise, please get
in touch with us using our email address: mick-
letontheatregoers@hotmail.com
We already have obtained tickets for an event in Oxford in November – a
performance by Jools Holland and his Orchestra. This is a repeat of the pro-
posed trip in 2020 – to Warwick – which had to be cancelled. Only eight
months to wait; our excitement is palpable! We will circulate members with
details and requests for tickets in the summer.
The committee decided to hold the AGM in late March – but did not of course
require anyone to attend! All members received the appropriate papers and
were invited to approve the accounts and the various reports – and to ap-
prove the composition of the committee. The arrangements did not allow
for the customary thoroughly enjoyable dinner and quiz, but at least we were
able to fulfil our statutory obligations!
Meanwhile, keep safe, keep well and keep positive. And keep in touch with
people!
Sir Michael Griffiths – ChairmanMy Life in Lockdown by Joy Gill
In March 2020 it was a great shock to discover
that I was one of the “vulnerable” ones! Since
then all the younger people in Mickleton have
been very helpful.
Probably my greatest pleasure is having the
kitchen window in the front of the bungalow, facing the road. I can see
everyone taking their daily exercise, wave at passer-bys and occasionally
pop out for a chat. (I spend a lot of time at the kitchen sink!)
My other great pleasure is the Internet where I enjoy Bridge, Church Services,
Lectures, Sewing, shopping and general information. I am most grateful to
security4systems for all their help as I am not an expert in this field.
I should put top of the list the company of my husband and it has been a
harmonious year - we are very lucky.
Lockdown and me by an older resident of Mickleton
I’ve always been happy with my own company but I’ve never been in an
enforced situation where I had to keep to myself, stay away from others and
just not socialise.
Fot the summer months it wasn’t too much of an issue, I walked around
Mickleton’s many pathways, kept well away from the volume of others doing
the same and quickly passed the time of day as we made way for one another
on the paths. It was a long and different, but not unenjoyable, summer.
I knew winter would be different. A sense of deja-vu as we swept into the New
Year lock down, but oh how different!
It rained and rained, people scurried past my window not even looking up, I
couldn’t walk, the now deep, muddy pathways and how time dragged and
those, oh so early, dark nights.
I realised that I needed to see other people!
I’ve had my first jab and how I thank those wonderful
people who have invented the vaccine, but as Spring
starts at last to show through, I’m looking for the day
when I can go out safely, speak to people without
them backing away and hopefully start slowly to
return to something approaching the way life was
before.
I also, throughout this experience, realise how long-
term prisoners must feel, knowing that their
restrictions can’t be relieved by just opening their
front door!
So with that last thought in mind - enjoy your time, it
could be a whole lot worse!!MICKLETON PARISH COUNCIL
Vacancies for two
Parish Councillors
Applications are invited for Parish
Councillors to serve with Mickleton
Parish Council
Please send your application, in
writing giving brief details to
The Clerk, Mickleton Parish Council,
The Parish Office, King George’s Hall,
Chapel Lane, Mickleton, GL55 6SD.
Email
clerk.mickletonparishcouncil@gmail.comGood Friday, Jesus and the thieves on the Cross Luke’s account of the crucifixion (Luke 23:32-43) emphasises the mocking of the crowd, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself’ (35,37,39). In their view a Messiah does not hang on a cross and suffer. In considering the two men who were crucified with Jesus, we are also confronted with the issue of how Jesus secures salvation for us. The words of one of those crucified with Jesus reflected the crowd’s taunts: ‘Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us.’ He highlights the question of Jesus’ identity: how can He save others, when He cannot save Himself from death? He failed to see that the cross itself was the means of salvation. So - what kind of Messiah was Jesus? The other criminal’s response in his last moments is a moving ex- pression of faith. When chal- lenging the other man, he spoke of the utter injustice of the cruci- fixion: ‘this man has done noth- ing wrong.’ He perceived the truth that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. In a wonderful picture of grace, ‘remember me when You come into Your king- dom’, the second thief confessed his guilt and secured Jesus’ forgiveness and mercy. In reply, Jesus promised the man life from the moment of death; ‘Today you will be with Me in paradise.’ Jesus used the picture of a walled garden to help the man understand His promise of protection and security in God’s love and acceptance eternally. Each one of us has to choose how we react to Jesus on the cross. Do we want Him to ‘remember’ us when He comes into His kingdom, or not? If you were to die tonight, how confident would you be of going to be with Jesus? ‘For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God’’ (1 Peter 3:18). Good Friday is the day on which Jesus died on the cross. He was crucified at 9 a.m. in the morning, and died six hours later, at 3pm. It is the most solemn day in the Christian year, and is widely marked by the removal of all decora- tions from churches. In Lutheran churches, the day was marked by the read- ing of the passion narrative in a gospel, a practice which lies behind the ‘passions’ composed by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750). Both the St Matthew Passion and the St John Passion have their origins in this ob- servance of Good Friday. The custom of observing a period of three hours’ devotion from 12 midday to 3 pm on Good Friday goes back to the 18th century. The ‘Three Hours of the Cross’ often take the form of an extended meditation on the ‘Seven Last Words from the Cross’, with periods of silence, prayer, or hymn-singing.
WHAT TO SPOT IN THE APRIL SKIES
The ancient constellations of Leo (the Lion) and Virgo (the Virgin) dominate
the springtime skies. Leo does indeed look like a recumbent lion, but it’s
hard to envisage Virgo as anything other than a vast “Y” in the sky! And the
dusk twilight is brightened up at the end of the month by both the Sun hug-
ging planets Venus and Mercury.
Mercury After the 10 April, it will re-emerge into a good evening position.
Near Venus at the end of the month.
Venus Near Mercury
at the end of April,
and the crescent
Moon on 12 April.
Mars No longer tele-
scopically viable but
the Moon will be near-
by on the17th.
Jupiter Bright but low
morning planet rising
70 minutes before
sunrise. A waning
crescent Moon lies
close by on 7
April.The brilliant star
near the crescent
Moon is the giant
planet Jupiter while
Saturn lies to the right
Mars passes 0.6º north of the fabulous open cluster in Saturn Morning plan-
Gemini on the evenings of 26 and 27 April et in Capricornus. It
will have a poor altitude all month. A waning crescent Moon lies nearby on 6
April and lying above this crescent Moon it can be seen in the morning sky
with Jupiter to the left
Uranus Evening planet. Difficult to spot between Venus
and Mercury on 23 April.
Neptune Not visible this month.
On the 14th April a slender crescent Moon can be seen
hanging below the Pielades
15th April Aldebaran and the Hyades lie to the left of the
Moon, with the Pielades to its right.
16th April the star below the Moon Station of the Cross 4Is Aldebaran, while the fainter reddish “star” above is Mars. The following
day April 17th Mars lies right next to the Moon.
During the night of April 21st and 22nd the maximum of the Lyrid meteor
shower has shooting stars that appear to emenate from the constellation Ly-
ra as debris from Comet Thatcher burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere. How-
ever don’t expect too much as moonlight will wash out all but the brightest
meteors.
On April 25th Mercury passesjust to the right of Venus while on April 27th the
second closest and brightest full Moon of the year is only slightly inferior to
the May supermoon.
NASA’s Perseverance rover performs first test drive on Mars
NASA’s latest Mars rover, Perseverance, performed its first test drive on the
Red Planet, covering a distance of about 6.5 metres across the Martian land-
scape, a “major milestone” before it begins its science operations.The drive
served as a mobility test to check out and calibrate every system and instru-
ment before the science operations get underway.
Regular commutes of over 200 metres are expected once the rover begins
pursuing its science goals, including the search for signs of ancient microbi-
al life, NASA said.
As part of its mission, the rover would characterise the Red Planet’s geology
and past climate, and pave the way for human exploration of Mars.
It is also expected to be the first to collect and cache Martian rock and soil.
Since its landing on Mars on February 18, the rover has undergone several
routine checks, including a a software update, replacing the computer pro-
gram that helped land Perseverance with one NASA will rely on to analyse
the planet.
Perseverance rover begins its exploration of Mars13th April: Carpus, Papylus & Agathonice, martyrs of
the Early Church
In the month of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice of
Himself for us, the martyrdoms of Carpus,
Papylus and Agathonice are well worth re-
membering. What they said as they died
could be said by the many thousands of
Christians who are facing persecution all over
the world today.
Carpus, Papylus and Agathonice lived in Pergamum (Asia Minor) in the late
second century. Carpus was a bishop, Papylus was a deacon, and Agathonice
was his sister. Trouble began when the proconsul Optimus ordered them to
sacrifice in the name of the emperor.
Carpus refused, saying, ‘I am a Christian and because
of my faith and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I
cannot become one of you.’ He was hung up and tor-
tured by iron claws.
Papylus was a wealthy citizen, but he had also led
many people to faith in Christ. As he suffered the same
fate as Carpus, he said, ‘I feel no pain because I have
Someone to comfort me; One whom you do not see
suffers within me.’ Both men were then burnt alive.
Finally, it was his sister’s turn. She too refused to sacrifice to demons. ‘If I am
worthy,’ she said, ‘I desire to follow the footsteps of my teachers.’ On being
urged to have pity on her children, she replied,
‘My children have God, who watches over them;
but I will not obey your commands.’ As she was
consigned to the flames, she cried out three
times: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, help me because I am
enduring this for you.’ She died soon after.
Terrible deaths, but also, triumphant ones. These
three Christians loved Jesus so much that the
only thing they could NOT bear was to deny Him.
Sadly, the persecution goes on today, in coun-
tries where Jesus Christ is still bitterly hated.
Pray for the Christians who live in these coun-
tries, that they too may have courage and endur-
ance – to the end.Mickleton Gardening Club February ‘Zoom’ Meeting
Nick Martin captivated us with his photographic slideshow and flowing
narrative on the ‘Secrets of the Wildlife Garden’ on Wednesday 17th February.
Nick, who works for The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, is a
passionate naturalist and conservationist as well as an accomplished wildlife
photographer. With each photograph, Nick imparted nuggets of fascinating
information about garden wildlife.
We may think of ants as inconvenient dwellers in our lawns and under our
paving, but to Green Woodpeckers they are a tasty snack, sticking their long
sticky tongues in to their nests to catch them. Jays use black ants to clean
their feathers by spreading their wings over the ant nests to disturb the
insects and invite them to climb aboard!
One of the many memorable facts we learnt was about Great Tits when it
comes to attracting the opposite sex. The larger the male’s ‘tie’ marking, the
more impressed the females will be! The best all round food for birds is
sunflower hearts. Within hours of completing his new garden pond, Nick
witnessed a pond skater and damselflies making a visit, even hedgehogs and
foxes and a number of birds. The addition of a simple ramp enabled
mammals, amphibians and birds to easily access and exit the water.
The general message that resonated throughout Nick’s presentation was
encouraging wildlife to inhabit our gardens. Simple changes we can make to
help facilitate this include introducing hedging
or at least some shrubs or trees to act as cover
for small birds; putting up bird boxes; building
a pond, no matter how small; growing plants
like Red Valerian for pollinators and creating
hedgehog runs.
Hedgehog homes can
easily be made using
bricks to form a short
tunnel entrance and
adding a chamber,
covering them with anything that will keep out the
weather. Once built, tempt hedgehogs in with cat bis-
cuits!
Further details about future meeings and events are
available on our website: www.mickletongc.org.uk
Station of the Cross 5Tennis Courts/MUGA and Skateboard Park
The planned opening dates for the Tennis/Netball and
MUGA Courts is April 5th 2021.
All bookings for the Tennis/Netball courts are to be made
through the Parish Council website :-
www.mickletonparishcouncil.co.uk
I session = 1 hour
Due to availability of the equipment, the skateboard area
will not be functional until est. w/c April 19th
The courts will be opened at 7.30 a.m. in British
Summertime hours and 8.30 a.m. in the winter months.
The courts will be locked and the perimeter fence locked at
sunset minus 30 minutes in British Summertime and in the
winter months.
These times may be revised without notice
All courts must be vacated by these times without
exceptionMICKLETON’S NEW COMMUNITY SPORTS FACILITIES
The MUGA marked
out for 5 a-side
football, basketball
and volleyball
The MUGA will be
open all day and
only closed for any
group bookings. The
volleyball
equipment will need
to be booked in
advance
Tennis Court 2
Will be available by
booking on-line in
advance only. This
court is only for
tennis and not marked
out for any other sport.
It will only be
accessible by securing
the key code on
booking
All bookings are to e
made on-line Fitness equipment will
be open all day for any
member of the public to
use at any time. There
will be no need to book
to use the equipment .
Any organised fitness
groups using the facility
must book in advance
through the Parish
Council website7 8
Further fitness equipment.
There are 8 pieces of equip-
ment on site. 4 pieces either
side of the MUGA
9Th
The skateboard area which
will be open all day. Access
will be through the gates on
Taylor Drive . The skate-
board area is blocked off
from the rear of tennis court
2
Another view of the MUGA
from the skateboard area.
Tennis court 1 marked
out for netball and ten-
nis.
This court has to be
booked in advance on
the Parish Council web-
site
The court will be locked
Station of the Cross 6Engraved in the Memory - Churches not to miss
37 Wakefield Cathedral
The cathedral, situat-
ed in the centre of
Wakefield on a hill on
Kirkgate, is built on
the site of a Saxon
church, evidence of
which was uncovered
in 1900 when exten-
sions to the east end
were made. A church
in Wakefield is men-
tioned in the Dooms-
day Book of 1086. In
1090 William II gave
the church and land in
Wakefield to Lewes
Priory in Sussex and
shortly after that a Norman church was built.
The Norman church was rebuilt in 1329, and apart from the tower and spire, rebuilt
and enlarged in 1469. The church was reconstructed and altered at various times
and its spire, damaged in a violent gale, was renewed in 1823. Up to the 16th cen-
tury the church was known by the Anglo Saxon All Hallows and after the Refor-
mation changed to All Saints. All Saints Church was largely rebuilt in the early 15th
century and, after years of neglect in the
18th century, owes its current late medieval
appearance to a Victorian restoration by Sir
George Gilbert Scott and his son John
Oldrid Scott between 1858 and 1874. In
1888, the Diocese of Wakefield was created
and All Saints Church became the cathedral
of the diocese. It still serves as a parish
church, meaning that until 2000 the head of
the chapter of canons was called the prov-
ost, rather than the dean. The Treacy Hall
built in memory of Bishop Eric Treacy was
completed in 1982. In January 2000 a parish
boundary change brought the chantry chap-
el, on Wakefield Bridge, into the care of the
cathedral.
The cathedral walls are clad in sandstone.
On the south wall is a porch, with a wrought
iron gate and a sundial over the door arch.
The wall of the north aisle is the oldest part
of the church dating from about 1150. Thetnave piers date from the 12th and 13th centuries and the arcade and chancel
arches date fromhe 14th century. The late 15th-century chancel now serves as the
choir. The nave's original
stone vaulted roof has been
replaced with wood. The 15th
-century wooden ceilings over
the nave and aisles have
carved bosses.
The current chancel, a
trancept and St Mark's Chap-
el were built at the east end
in 1904 to designs by John
Loughborough Pearson and
completed by his son, Frank
L Pearson. The 20th-century
chancel has a stone vaulted
roof.
The cathedral's large four-stage west tower has angle buttresses and a very tall
crocketed spire behind an embattled parapet with crocketed corner pinnacles and
at 247 feet (75m) tall, is the highest spire in Yorkshire.
None of the medieval stained glass survives and most of the cathedral's glass was
made by Charles Eamer Kempe who created many windows over 50 years. His
windows are reminiscent in colour of those of the late Middle Ages, darker on the
north wall with Old Testament themes and lighter on the south side where he
placed New Testament figures.
The cathedral has a 17th-century rood
screen and above it a rood by Ninian
Comper, completed in 1950. The font
dates from the mid 17th-century. Eleven
of the 15th-century choir stalls, the gift of
Sir Thomas Savile, have misericords and
other carvings including a green man and
mythical beasts.
The reredos is the work of John Oldrid
Scott and possibly incorporates earlier
works while the high altar is by Frank
Pearson. Some furniture in St Mark's
Chapel is by Robert Thompson, the
'Mouseman'. The cathedral has a fine col-
lection of church The spire of Wakefield
Cathedral, at a height of approximately
247 feet, is the tallest church in Yorkshire
and still dominates the city skyline, draw-
ing pilgrims and visitors to the cathedral.
This hidden architectural gem hasits origins in a pre-Conquest church,
but the story of the present building
starts circa 1150 when parts of the
surviving nave north arcade were first
built.
This was followed in approximately
1220 by the southern arcade, which is
made up of alternating round and oc-
tagonal columns. Following the proba-
ble collapse of a central tower around
1320, both arcades were heightened,
giving their present form, and new
multi-shaft columns added. The
church was re-consecrated by Arch-
bishop William de Melton in 1329.
Between 1409 and 1420, the magnificent western tower and spire were added to
the church and, after 1440, the present nave clerestory was constructed. This con-
tains finely carved capitals including one of a wild boar eating acorns. The eastern
half of the mediaeval church also dates from the second half of the 15th century, tra-
ditionally under the vicarship of Thomas Rogers 1462-1502. The five bay quire con-
tains 25 magnificent stalls with misericords and carved animals paid for by Sir
Thomas Savile in 1482 in celebration of his marriage to Margaret Bosworth. The ca-
thedral also contains a complete set of 15th century ceilings throughout the Nave,
aisles and east end. These have a fine collection of carved bosses depicting a wide
range of religious and secular themes.
Other gems include the sundial added to the south porch in 1635 and the quire
screen, carved by Thomas Grundy of Leeds for the sum of £17.15s in 1636. The ca-
thedral font also dates from the 17th century and
was installed in 1661 to replace the mediaeval
font destroyed in the Commonwealth.
The cathedral we see today is the work of three
men who were associated with Wakefield during
the 19th century. The first was Sir George Gilbert
Scott, who worked on the cathedral between
1857 and 1874. His in-
volvement included re-
casing the tower in 1859
and rebuilding the spire
in 1860. This was followed
by major external re-
pairs, reordering of the
quire and, finally, the
nave that was complet-
ed in 1874. His son,
John Oldrid Scott, add-
ed the organ chamber
and vestries and completed part of the present reredos,
which is considered one of the finest Victorian examples in
England..
Stations of the Cross 7Following the raising of the parish church to Cathedral status in 1888, John Lough-
borough Pearson was engaged to design a new east end to the cathedral. These
plans came to fruition between 1903-05, when his son, Frank, completed arguably
the finest Pearson work on an English cathedral. This simple and elegant design
makes a majestic addition to the cathedral. Complementing this work, is the cathe-
dral's collection of glass by the great Victorian artist, Charles Kempe. Wakefield has
23 Kempe windows, spanning his complete working life up to his death in 1907.
The 20th century has also seen important changes at Wakefield. The rood screen
figures were designed by Sir Ninian Comper in 1938 for Provost Hopkins, but were
not completed until 1950. This was followed by the Cathedra designed by George
Pace in 1974. In 1982, the Treacy Hall was added by the then Cathedral Architect,
Peter Marshall, he also added the linking offices in the 1990s.
Wakefield Cathedral has magnificent historic fabric spanning over 800 years and is
one of Yorkshire's greatest churches.
Ancient tombs are among intriguing archaeological finds unearthed during major re-
development work at historic Wakefield Cathedral.
Cathedral chiefs are inviting the public to view the historic artefacts before they are
re-buried.
The excavations have revealed worship has
taken place on the site of the 800-year-old
cathedral for more than 1,000 years.
Archaeologists started excavations inside the
Grade I listed building as part of the multi-
million pound redevelopment scheme, Pro-
ject 2013.
They are removing buried remains from in-
side the nave to allow a new floor to be in-
stalled. The digging has already revealed 13
burials, most of which date back to the 18th or 19th century.
But archaeologists have also found two medieval stone graves and two probable
early walls.
Andy Norton, part of the team from Wessex Archaeology, said: “Until recently it was
common for people to be buried next to or even inside churches and cathedrals.
When churches were extended they could be built on top of earlier graves. So the
new floor for the Cathedral nave will be at a lower level than the current one and
would have damaged any graves there.”
Wessex Archaeology chairman Robert Key said: “It is important that our places of
worship, which are often wonderful historic building, are renewed for modern
times.
But we have to respect our heritage and also make sure that no damage is done to
the remains of the people who were buried here hundreds of years ago. All the bur-
ials will be carefully recorded and removed before the remains are re-interred.”EASTER, the most joyful day of the year
Easter is the most joyful day of the year for Christians. Christ has died for our
sins. We are forgiven. Christ has risen! We are redeemed! We can look for-
ward to an eternity in His joy!
Hallelujah!
The Good News of Jesus Christ
is a message so simple that you
can explain it to someone in a
few minutes. It is so profound
that for the rest of their lives
they will still be ‘growing’ in their
Christian walk with God.
Why does the date move around
so much? Because the date of Passover moves around, and according to the
biblical account, Easter is tied to the Passover. Passover celebrates the Isra-
elites’ exodus from Egypt, and it lasts for seven days, from the middle of the
Hebrew month of Nisan, which equates to late March or early April.
Sir Isaac Newton was one of the first to use the Hebrew lunar calendar to
come up with firm dates for the first Good Friday: Friday 7 th April 30 AD or
Friday 3rd April, 33 AD with Easter Day falling two days later. Modern scholars
continue to think these two Fridays to be the most likely.
Most people will tell you that Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full
moon after the Spring Equinox, which is broadly true. But the precise calcula-
tions are complicated and involve something called an ‘ecclesiastical full
moon’, which is not the same as the moon in the sky. The earliest possible
date for Easter in the West is 22nd March, which last fell in 1818. The latest is
25th April, which last happened in 1943.
Why the name, ‘Easter’? In almost every European language, the festival’s
name comes from ‘Pesach’, the Hebrew word for Passover. The Germanic
word ‘Easter’, however, seems to come from Eostre, a Saxon fertility goddess
mentioned by the Venerable Bede. He thought that the Saxons worshipped
her in ‘Eostur month,’ but may have confused her with the classical dawn
goddesses like Eos and Aurora, whose names mean ‘shining in the east’. So,
Easter might have meant simply ‘beginning month’ – a good time for starting
up again after a long winter.
Finally, why Easter eggs? On one hand,
they are an ancient symbol of birth in
most European cultures. On the other
hand, hens start laying regularly again
each Spring. Since eggs were forbidden
during Lent, it’s easy to see how decorat-
ing and eating them became a practical
way to celebrate Easter.EaStER mORNING, tHE ‘OtHER’ maRy
As the traditional Easter story is
rehearsed again this month, you
may notice that there is one name
that frequently occurs. It is that of
the ‘other’ Mary – not the mother
of Jesus, but Mary of Magdalene,
who stood by her at the cross and
became the first person actually
to meet the risen Christ.
That’s quite a record for a woman
who, the Gospels tell us, had
been delivered by Jesus from
‘seven devils’ – New Testament language for some dark and horrible afflic-
tion of body, mind or spirit. As a result, her devotion to Him was total and her
grief at His death overwhelming.
In church history Mary Magdalene became the ‘fallen woman’ a harlot who
was rescued and forgiven by Jesus but there is no evidence to prove she
was a ‘fallen woman’ but the contrast is sublime, Mary the virgin mother, the
symbol of purity. Mary Magdalene, the scarlet woman who was saved and
forgiven, the symbol of redemption. Surely, we all fall somewhere between
those two extremes.
The dark cloud from which she was delivered may have been sexual, we are
not told. What we do know is that the two Marys stood together at the cross,
the Blessed Virgin and the woman rescued from who knows what darkness
and despair.
The second great moment for her was as unexpected as it was momentous.
She had gone with other women to the tomb of Jesus and found it empty. An
angelic figure told them that Jesus was not there, He had risen – and the oth-
ers drifted off. But Mary stayed, reluctant to leave
it like that. She became aware of a man nearby,
whom she took to be the gardener. She explained
to him that the body of ‘her Lord’ had been taken
away and she didn’t know where to find Him.
The man simply said her name ‘Mary’ and she in-
stantly realised it was Jesus. She made to hug
Him, but He told her not to touch Him because His
resurrection was not yet complete. She was, how-
ever, to go to the disciples and tell them she had
met Him. She did – but they wouldn’t believe her.
Her words – ‘I have seen the Lord’ – echo down
the centuries, the very beating heart of the Chris-
tian gospel.
Stations of the Cross 8Why Easter will never go away How do you make sense of the Resurrection? Dead men don’t rise, so why believe that this par- ticular dead man did rise? At the end of St Luke’s gospel we read that: “they still did not believe it because of joy and amaze- ment” (Luke 24.4). This is highly significant. The Gospels do not show us a group of disciples who were in a receptive frame of mind. After the cruci- fixion, they were in hiding, frightened and scat- tered. Then suddenly, they came out of hiding and were totally different; excited, joyful. By Pentecost they were confident, with one firm message: ‘You crucified Jesus, but God raised Him up!’ How did they know this? Because of direct personal experience. Some of them had visited the tomb of Jesus: it was empty. Others claimed to have seen and touched the risen Lord. Were they hallucinating? People can hallucinate in groups – when taking drugs, for exam- ple. But of course, each one will see a different hallucination. But the disciples all saw the same thing. Or rather, the same person. Jesus. Were they lying? Jesus had died a humiliating death as a criminal. Perhaps they wanted to rescue His good name. So, did they pretend they had seen Him? This theory has a big problem. Their preaching led them into trouble with the authorities. They were beaten and imprisoned and some of them killed. People will die for ideas and causes which they believe in passionately. But not for things they have made up. We might suffer for our convictions, but we will not suffer for our inventions. What about the ‘swoon’ theory? That Jesus didn’t die on the cross, despite terrible wounds? That He recovered in the tomb, and then escaped? That the disciples nursed Him back to health? But Roman soldiers knew when a man was dead; and there was the guard on the tomb. Also, the events which followed simply don’t fit. If the disciples had been hiding Jesus all along, they would have kept very low-key, and out of the way, so that the authorities did not come after Him again. Besides, to preach that God had raised Jesus from the dead – which is exactly what they did preach – would have been a lie. Beatings and threat of death would soon have loosened their tongues. Inventions crumble under pressure; convictions hold fast. Another reason for believing in the Resurrection is this: Jesus’ continuing impact. Thou- sands and soon millions of people in every generation since have shared an inescapable sense of being ‘accompanied’ through life. Though unseen, they identify this presence as the Risen Lord. Sometimes this experience of meeting Jesus is gentle and fitful. Sometimes it is dramatic and life changing. This reminds us that the resurrection of Jesus is not just an interesting historical puzzle. It is a vital, present day reality. It brings wonderful comfort, assuring us of the central Christian truths: death is dead; Jesus is alive; God is love. This central notion was captured, most movingly, by the great Albert Schweitzer: ‘He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same word: “Follow thou me,” and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfil for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal Himself in the toils, the conflicts, the suffering which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience who He is.’ Have a joyful – and a challenging – Easter.
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