November 2020 - All Saints, Martock Parish Magazine 40p

The Messenger   November 2020

                 All Saints, Martock Parish Magazine 40p

This month’s letter
As Remembrance Day approaches, the poignant words ‘at the going down of the
sun and in the morning, we will remember them’, readily come to mind. But
remembrance can be difficult for many people. It is a time for not only remembering
those who fought and died in the line of duty but may also be a reminder of our
own pain and loss.
One of the defining symbols of remembrance has become the humble poppy. Each
year well over 40 million poppies are sold in aid of the work of the Royal British
Legion but it was not intentional that the poppy would become such an iconic
symbol.
In his book, Where the Poppies Blow, the historian John Lewis-Stempel maps the
experience of the soldiers of the trenches through their engagement with the
natural world which they experienced through the horror, boredom and filth, but
sometimes unexpected beauty of the trenches. It may come as a surprise to learn
that a good deal of time was spent cultivating gardens, partly for the practical need
of food production, but also to grow small flower gardens. These gardens were
tended with great pride and provided a powerful reminder of home, giving a sense
of order and control in a disordered and distorted world.
It is in and through this unique environment that the poppy thrived. Explosions
helped spread the poppy seeds around the mud churned land and nitrogen from
fallen animals and soldiers created a uniquely fertile environment for the poppies to
blossom and bloom. And so it was not a poetic image, but a reality of this beauty in
a seemingly God-forsaken place which led Gordon McCrae to write those moving
words, ‘In Flanders fields the poppies blow, between the crosses row on row…’
From those words written in 1915 and through many subsequent Poppy Appeals,
the simple red poppy has become the most eloquent expression of the deep
sorrow and gratitude that so many feel for those who have given their lives in time
of war. But rather than simply looking back, the poppy also helps us to look for-
ward. In the trenches flowers became a sign of hope that as they emerged through
the rubbles of that seemingly God-forsaken landscape of no-man’s land something
good, something beautiful might and could and should emerge.

So, as we wear our poppies and lay them in remembrance, we not only look back
with sorrow and thankfulness, we look forward with hope. We recommit ourselves
to the truth and blessing that we might dedicate ourselves to work for peace and
justice as we remember the sacrifice of Jesus who empowers us to be bringers of
peace.
At this time of remembrance, come and be still before God.
As poppies sway in the breeze in the fields of Flanders,
scattering seeds in the soil,
so may we, wearing our poppies of remembrance,
be scatterers of hope, compassion and peace.
Amen.
Sally Howells, Lay Worship Leader

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                           The Lord’s Larder needs:
  Cuppa Soups - Baked beans - Tined potatoes - Tinned spaghetti - UHT milk -
   Sugar - Toohbrushes - Washing powder - Empty supermarket carrier bags
 All donations can be left at the back of All Saints’, in the pink and blue trunk or at
                               The George Café (MCF).

                      01823 276 892
                        www.mindline.org
                                                                     8pm-11pm
                                                               Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun
           Need someone to talk to? Feeling isolated? Distressed or upset?
                     We listen, support and provide information.
       We provide a safe place to talk if you or someone you know is in distress.
          It makes a real difference talking to someone about how you feel.

Loving God, during this time of Vacancy, we pray for all who worship in our
churches at Martock, Kingsbury Episcopi and Ash, and for all in our communities.
We pray for our leadership team and for our churchwardens who have extra
responsibilities during this time. We thank you for those who were involved in
preparing the parish profile and writing the parish vision of the future.
We pray for those who will respond to an advertisement for our new priest-in-
charge and those who have the responsibility for selecting that person.
Above all, lord, we pray that we will listen to you and be guided by your holy
spirit.

What’s up….
                    Is Crime on the Rise in Martock?
Though a quick scan through the ‘Martock Chat’ page on Facebook, where local
residents go to discuss village issues, will bring up plenty of posts detailing criminal
and anti-social activity such as dog-napping, drug taking, vandalism and verbal
abuse, Parish Councillor Neil Bloomfield assures me that Martock isn’t in the midst
of a crime wave, “This area remains a low crime area. There’s always been litter,
dog poo, car crime and the list goes on. We are told by the police and the British
Crime Survey that crime has reduced and this area is still a very safe place to be.
“Covid has meant people haven’t been at work or travelling as much and therefore
are here more of the time. You’re always going to notice more under those circum-
stances.”
Mr Bloomfield’s point is a good one– so far this year most people have been
spending more time at home and in the village, meaning more time to notice the
misbehaviour that has probably been happening in Martock and the surrounding
villages for some time, and more time to share their observations online.
Many of the incidents being reported by residents online, such as dangerous cy-
cling, littering at the rec and throwing full dog-waste bags at buildings, have been
attributed to children and teenagers in the village, but this is clearly not an endemic
problem with Martock’s youth. Mr Bloomfield said “Martock has just under 5000
residents, all it takes is a handful of people to cause the wave of damage and anti-
social behaviour we’ve seen of late.” and residents have certainly been quick to
point out online that most of the young people they encounter in the village are
friendly, polite and well-behaved, and they shouldn’t all be tarred with the same
brush.
Mr Bloomfield pointed out that Atlas Security continue to provide Martock with
patrols, “I know it’s frustrating when something happens and some rightly question
police/security effectiveness but would something else have happened if they
weren’t there? The parish are investing in an initial cctv system and we are investi-
gating extending that further.”
And of course it’s not all doom and gloom, says Mr Bloomfield, as there are many
positive things happening in our village too, “Locally the Parish Council continue to
provide services most don’t have. We are very lucky to have support from MCF,
who for several months have been doing a huge amount with food parcels. We
have a small army of volunteers who quietly get on with helping others with all
sorts of daily tasks they can’t carry out themselves due to Covid restrictions. Youth
provision locally has also suffered but the CYP have found more innovative ways
to engage without breaking the Covid restrictions. The parish councils services
team continue to provide support to those in need even though it’s more challeng-
ing at present.

If you witness or are the victim of a crime then please call 999 if it is an emergency,
or 101 if the offender has gone and there is no immediate danger.

From the Bishop...
One more step
As a vicar one thing I really enjoyed, even though it seemed to come round rather
quickly, was writing the letter for the parish magazine. I know that not all parishes
are able to produce a parish magazine and some find a website is a better way to
communicate with people, however, I do still appreciate reading them when I can.
So I would like to express my thanks to all those involved in writing, editing and
producing parish magazines. They are often still an effective way to share what we
are doing in our churches and to share with others the good news of the gospel.
Recently I was reading one which had an article by someone recalling a visit made
to the north west of the USA some 40 years ago. They spoke about the warmth of
their welcome and the joy of being invited to preach in the church. What caught my
eye, was that they remembered visiting Lake Wallowa where it is said: ‘the air is so
pure and the sky so clear that one can see the dawn of the day after tomorrow!’
What a glorious expression. Of course, the truth is that we don’t know what the
future holds and at the moment things are challenging and uncertain for all of us
and indeed for the world.
One night recently when I was in hospital, unable to sleep and waiting for the dawn
to break, I found myself singing the words of ‘One More Step Along the Way’ I go
which has the chorus: ‘And it’s from the old I travel to the new, Keep me travelling
along with you’. Maybe as we look to the future, with the joys and challenges that it
will bring, that should be our prayer – Lord help us to travel with you wherever you
may be leading.
With my warmest greetings,
Bishop Peter

November 2020 CCS Agents News
More support than ever before for Carers!
We have some exciting service news for you! We have joined our Carers Agent
and Village Agent teams so ALL 55 + agents can now support unpaid Carers in
Somerset!
The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown resulted in CCS Agents
changing their approach to be ‘whole population ’ focused. This was important for
families as it now meant there was one point of contact within the CCS team and
no need to repeat themselves to explain their situation.
The model worked brilliantly, and as a result CCS Agents have supported over
7,000 Carers since the end of March 2020, clearly demonstrating that the One
Family - One Agent approach was working to reach more unpaid Carers than ever.
CCS is delighted to announce that from September, all Carers Agents will become
Village Agents and all existing Village Agents are ready to support unpaid Carers
in Somerset.
Nothing has changed other than having a lot more people available to support the
unpaid Carer in Somerset.

You may not even recognise yourself as a Carer as you may look after someone
infrequently, or informally, but we are here to help you whether you care for your
spouse, child, friend or relative.
To have a chat about how we can support you in your caring role, call 0800 31 68
600, text ‘Carer’ to 78070 or visit the dedicated Carers website
www.somersetcarers.org

Rehome a Phone!
Do you have an unused smartphone lying around?
By donating an unused phone to us, YOU can help reduce loneliness and isolation
for a person in Somerset. We will be facing a very different Christmas this year
with a reduction in the usual festive activities, and the possibility of family gathering
restrictions, so we are focusing on re-homing as many of these phones our into the
community as possible to keep families and friends in touch with each other over
the festive period.
We had a brilliant response to our last 'Rehome-a-phone' campaign - so many
people in need in Somerset have benefitted from a donated device.
One person who received a handset said "You have made my day. This will help

me feel not so lonely and I will even be able to do my food shopping online now as
I'm house bound and can't get out".
We will :

  - refurbish the phone
  - remove any personal data
  - provide the new owner with a SIM card
  - support them to use the phone with video tutorials and install apps that will
      help them to keep in touch with their loved ones

To donate, please contact our Village Agent Ellie                Bishop   on   email:
ellieb@somersetrcc.org.uk or call her on 07985 748910

You can find out more here about the impact of our last rehome a phone campaign
here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT4wffIRZHU

Talking Cafes Online

We are still unable to bring Talking Cafes back to physical venues and we miss all
our clients so much! However we are still live streaming every day at 11am on
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/talkingcafesomerset/ and have recently
celebrated our 100th broadcast!

If you are not on Facebook you can now watch previous Talking Cafes on YouTube
here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5goIPHD91Ie4VDI5NMJdrQ

Recent Talking Cafes covered Art Therapy, Coping with Grief and changes to our
Somerset Waste recycling schemes!

You can comment on the YouTube videos if you have any questions and someone
will get in touch with an answer. We hope you enjoy them, let us know what you
think!

07968521746          cath@somersetrcc.org.uk
                  CCS Village, Community & Carers Agents are in your communities
                                                                        Ant,
                  across Somerset. They help to bridge the gap between isolated,
                                                                        6months
                  excluded, vulnerable and lonely individuals and statutory and/or
                  voluntary organisations which offer specific solutions to identified
                  needs. We can offer advice and support to find local groups and
                  activities available in your community and help you with any que-
                  ries you may have or situations that you need advice and support
with. Please visit www.ccslovesomerset.org.uk and www.somersetcarers.org or call
me to find out who can advise you.

The Poppy Symbol (within this month of Remembrance)
P Following on from All Saints and All Souls at the start of this month, the first P is
for asking God to help us as we pray against the dark powers and principalities that
try to prevent his kingdom coming – here in our midst.

O The O is for offering. In spite of the restrictions due to the pandemic, across this
nation people are planning creative ways to make it possible to spend two minutes
in silence – to remember before God the men and women of our nation who have
fought and perished through human conflict. In gratitude, today we can offer to con-
tribute too ‘by working for justice, offering acts of kindness, and walking humbly
alongside our creator and redeemer’ in our relationships with others to ensure that
they did not die in vain for the freedom can we enjoy today.

P The second P is for ‘peace’. The peace being referred to is not just the absence
of war or human conflict of any kind. Did you know that the poppies that covered
the killing fields of the First World War were growing as a result of the bombing and
fighting? The poppy seed has a very hard shell that needs to break to germinate.
The violence and vibrations of the fighting helped to break these seeds. The red
field poppy, the token emblem we wear today, is a frail flower. It grows in the poor-
est of conditions – at roadsides and where the soil is thinnest, and if it is picked – it
dies quickly. Yet this symbol now has a very loud voice. It is worn every year and
shouts out for PEACE!

P This leads straight into the third P. This P stands for ‘purpose’. By remembering
those who died – to enable us to enjoy freedom and liberty – also makes us realise
how important it is to keep peace in our time. In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus teaches:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Are we willing to
become peacemakers amongst those whom we engage with today?

Y The Y can stand for yours and my response today. It is the invitation for each one
of us to fight valiantly as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ against sin, the world
and the devil, and to remain faithful to him to the end of our lives.

Today, despite current social restrictions we are still being invited to wear our
POPPY to honour others who have perished; echoing today these words from a
poem by Robert Laurence Binyon and published in The Times newspaper in 1914:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor
the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning
‘We will remember them’

Have you heard about the Jigsaw Puzzle Bank!
A FREE library of jigsaw puzzles for adults to enjoy at home and then exchange for
a new one!
Open every Wednesday, 10-12 Martock Community Office, Market House
Open for borrowing from Wednesday 21st October
• Strict guidelines for Covid safety
• Puzzles quarantined for 7 days before exchange
• If you are unable to access the Jigsaw Puzzle Bank, it may be possible to deliver
within the Parish
All donations of complete jigsaw puzzles for adults gratefully received
Ideally a minimum 500-piece jigsaw puzzles and above
Jigsaw Donation Day Only Wed 14th October 10-12 in the Market House or
call for possible collection and thereafter when the bank is open every Wednesday
morning, thank you
For all information regarding the Jigsaw Puzzle Bank please contact Caroline Ben-
nett 07946 121 612 or Fiona Hook 07929 294 680

                 Martock Farmers Martock is still on!
Saturday, 14 November 2020
10am – 1 pm. Our market stalls will be in single file against the west wall of the
precinct and north wall of Moorlands House. We will follow government advice on
distancing restrictions and ask the public to do the same: keep your distance from
others at all times. You will be asked to queue well away from the stalls, and only
one person at a time making a purchase, just as at the bakery and the Co Op, it
would help if you can bring bank cards, cash will be handled carefully. We will have
stalls selling all our key foods such as vegetables, plants, cheese, coffee, chicken,
beef, cordials, jams, bread and savouries.
Any enquiries, please phone Fergus Dowding on 01935 822202. For details of
suppliers to order deliveries click on the title.

                           From the Memorial Book
John Lloyd, Finley Edginton-Quinn, Jean Rosalind Smith, Iris Chant, Jonathan
Read, Edgar Haines, John Sidwell, Cerdic Brooks, Mary Rodford, Elizabeth
Turner, Vivienne Counter, Peggy Parker, Margaret Foale, Nan Aelberry, Frederick
Wells, Matthew Hicks, Jane Chudleigh, Betty Cobden, Arthur Pope, George Bar-
ron, Peter Francis, Fred Nickolls, Billy Gillard, Roy Curle, Hilda Brown, Toby Cob-
den, Richard Pullen, Dorcas Wilson, Jim Jewell, Hazel Robinson, Paula Long,
Sally-Anne Grafton-Reed, Barry Gibson, Nigel Mattock, Hugh White, Philip
Stubbs, Susie Rodford, Len Pearse, Nora Lyons

Parish Round Up
The Children’s Society – our treasurer, Ellen, has received notification that £100
has been raised for The Children’s Society by the House Box scheme. Well done &
thank you!

The Lord’s Larder – thank you also to all those who continue to donate items for
The Lord’s Larder. Last week, Ellen & Andrew took another 10 bags + the Harvest
collection of 20 full & heavy bags from Martock Primary school. Christmas will be a
strange one for all of us but donations of festive foods and treats would be gladly
received particularly by those who have never had to rely on a food bank before.
When shopping, allow the true spirit of Christmas to guide your selection to a few
extra items for somebody in need. Donations accepted on the doorstep of
Westholme, 4 North Street, Martock.

Yeovil Hospital appeals for your JEWELLERY! Help the hospital charity to raise
£620,000 to build a dedicated Breast Cancer unit by donating online at
www.justgiving.com/ Campaign/breastcancerappeal OR by donating unwanted
jewellery to Rosanne Crowther at 5 Church Close, Martock or on 01935 822143.

Your PCC needs You! It’s been a strange year and your church needs your help
more than ever before! All our PCCs need new members and would welcome new
church wardens with new ideas, new energy and new enthusiasm to keep our
churches alive! So why not help out & volunteer? For further info, contact Grace
Dunton or Ivan Childs at All Saints’, Barbara Woodhouse or Ken Witcombe at Ash
or Barbara Moore at Kingsbury.

We remember those who have died including Liz Norbury, Richard Dowdeswell
and Peter Russell.

DAILY HOPE is a FREE phone line, available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044,
set up particularly for those who are unable to join online church services during the
period of restrictions. Daily Hope offers music, prayers and reflections as well as
full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.

Our Churches are Open for Private Prayer: All Saints’, Martock every
Wednesday between 12noon and 3pm St Martin’s, KE 1 st & 3rd Sundays - 12noon
to 1.30pm 2 nd & 4th Sundays - 10.30am to 12noon Holy Trinity, Ash 2 nd Sunday
– 10am to 1pm Please note, that all opening times subject to cancellation if the
building is needed for other services/events

TO PRE-BOOK for 9.30am services at All Saints’, please phone 01935 825287
before noon on the Saturday before the Sunday service. THANK YOU.

LOOK AT OUR WEBSITES:
www.achurchnearyou.com/church/11008/ for All Saints’ Martock
www.achurchnearyou.com/church/11270/ for St Martin’s, Kingsbury Episcopi
www.achurchnearyou.com/church/11007/ for Holy Trinity, Ash

HURCH MOBILE : 07513 104 777 manned by the Ministry Team 7 days-a-week

Our Sunday Service on your TELEPHONE for everyone! From
9.15am to 9.29am, please dial : 0330 606 0403. The call will be
answered by an American voice; when prompted enter the ACCESS
CODE 444 4421. You will be asked to introduce             yourself - say
something like “Hello it’s Judy”, and then you will be welcomed by
Ellen Howard! The call will only cost your normal call rate, 45mins max. You will not
be able to join after 9.30am. If you have any problems, please contact Andrew or
Ellen Howard on 823287.

For general enquiries and information & bookings about weddings or baptisms,
please contact the Benefice Office on 01935 826113 or email
benefice.martock@gmail.com or pop in at The Vicarage, 10 Water Street, Martock
TA12 6JN on Wednesdays 10am to 4pm, Thursdays 2.30pm to 6.30pm or Fridays
10am to 2pm and speak to Sarah Nicholas, our Benefice Administrator who can
help or guide you towards someone who can!

               WHO’S WHO AT MARTOCK PARISH CHURCH
Vicar:                      Vacancy
Licensed Lay Reader:        Mrs Denise Peacock                             823875
Licensed Lay Reader:        Mrs Bridget Jones                              508688
Church Warden:              Mrs Grace Dunton                               825287
Children’s Worker:          Position vacant                                508688
Church Treasurer:           Ellen Howard                                   823287
Parish Administrator:       Mrs Sarah Nicholas                             826113
Parish Office Email:        benefice.martock@gmail.com
Director of Music:          Mr Steve Salisbury                             421816
Tower Captain:              Mr David Ledger                                826814
Magazine Distribution:      Mrs Sue Allwood                                825949
Gift Aid Secretary:         Mrs Jane Cockerham

Smile!

“If a book about failures doesn't sell, is it a success?” - Jerry Seinfeld

“Age is something that doesn’t matter, unless you are a cheese.” - Luis Bunuel

“Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family, in another city.” - George
Burns

 Copy for the December 2020 magazine should be with the Editor, Chrissy Allen,
Tel: 07766 811270 or Email: chrissyallen15@outlook.com before the 13th Nov.
    Please note– if you do not have access to email you can still submit content
either by giving it to me in Church or dropping it off at the Parish office (marked for
                       The Messenger). Charity No. 1160333