St. Augustine's Church - MARCH 2021
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St. Augustine's Church
MARCH 2021
Index of Contents
3. The Rector Writes ......
4. Social Media (Facebook, Youtube, Website)
5. Future Livestreaming
6. Valentine's Boxes / Mothering Sunday
7. Lockdown - SA Soups
8. Tourist Ministry / St. Columba
9. Glebes & Property / Church Finances
10. Policies & Procedures / Safeguarding and Envelope Drop
14. Diary for March 2021
15. World Day of Prayer
16. The Legacy of St. Columba - Part 2
18. Sammy Nicholl Remembers
20. Memories of St. Augustine's - Part 2
23. Church Choir Photograph - 2006
24. Parishioners News
26. Bible Readings for March
27. New Furniture for Kidz Klub and STAY Room
28. Answers to February Puzzle / Bible Anagrams
30. In Memoriams / Burials / Donations
32. The LEAH Kitchen
34. Bits and Pieces
35. Dickie's Gardening Tips
36. Childrens Page
Front Cover : Patchwork Cross in the Canon Howe Room
(made by Mrs Florence McSparron)
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
The Rector writes.......
The month of February has come and gone, Lent has started and our pilgrimage
to the cross is well under way. Lent is a very sacred season in the Christian
calendar when we put an extra special focus on our relationship with God and try
to get to grips with the anguish and pain associated with the crucifixion of Jesus
in our stead on the cross. We try, if you like, to fully understand exactly what we
have been spared. I would encourage all of you to dwell on these matters
seriously, and arrive at Holy Week with a true attitude of penitence and seeking.
The more we can truly identify with the agonising spiritual significance of Holy
Week the greater we can enter into the joy of the resurrection on Easter Day. I
always find the Lenten collect comforting, and yet challenging, as our hearts are
called back to God to receive His love and forgiveness.
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Returning to in-person church attendance
At the time of writing it is unclear whether or not we will be allowed to attend
church gatherings in person. Irrespective of what the legislation directs, we will
continue our mid-week Wednesday Lenten meditations online during the month
of March. Hopefully on 1st April (Maundy Thursday) we will come together in
the church for this important time in Holy Week. If we are allowed to reopen
during March, then our Tuesday morning celebrations of Holy Communion
(Order 1) will recommence at the usual time of 10:30am. This being the case,
Holy Communion will continue in one kind only, as before.
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
3
When we do reopen, we still need to be extremely careful and vigilant about
observing social distancing, sanitizing our hands and wearing our masks. As was
stated in the February magazine, not everyone has been vaccinated and, even if
they were, the vaccine has not eradicated covid-19, it has only given a basic level
of protection which might mean we won’t be as sick should we become infected.
We appreciate your continued cooperation with these processes which will be with
us for some time to come.
SOCIAL MEDIA
We are very excited that our new social media platforms have now gone LIVE!
Our all-new website can be accessed at www.saintaugustines.co.uk whilst our
new FaceBook page is St. Augustine’s Church – Londonderry. Additionally,
we now have a YouTube channel, which means we can livestream to Facebook
and YouTube simultaneously.
This is good news for our many followers who are either housebound or who live
too far away to be able to come in person to our church. It is also good news for
our tourist ministry as we will have a strong digital presence even before tourists
arrive in the city.
One little downside however is that it isn’t possible to simply transfer all our
‘friends’, or even all the other content of photos and videos from our old Facebook
group to our new page, so please search for the new Facebook page and befriend
St. Augustine’s all over again. In time the old Facebook page will be taken down.
HOW TO FIND OUR NEW FACEBOOK PAGE
the church name as given below must be typed into the search bar on Facebook
St. Augustine's Church - Londonderry
HOW TO FIND OUR CHURCH WEBSITE
go to your address bar and enter in www.saintaugustines.co.uk
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
4
HOW TO FIND OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
go to your address bar and enter in www.youtube.com
then put in a search for 'St. Augustine's Church - Londonderry'. Look for the
SA logo and then select the link for St. Augustine's Church - Londonderry.
We will be livestreaming to the new Facebook page and Youtube channel from
Sunday 7th March 2021 and will post no further content to the old Facebook
page after Easter Sunday.
FUTURE LIVESTREAMING
One unforeseen consequence of the pandemic is that it forced the whole world to
make digital and technological advances at quite a pace. Whether we like the
technological world or not, everyone agrees that it is here to stay.
As we continue to livestream our services there is the need to find a more
satisfactory position for the screen. The present arrangement looks too ad hoc and
it will not be practical when we have the choir reinstated. Rest assured that once
our insurers allow, we will have our hymn books and prayer books back in the
church for our use, so do not fear that we plan to do away with books!
However, a better screen solution also has obvious benefits for visiting speakers,
tourism and family services. Many parishioners have also commented very
positively about how the visuals enhance the sermon and how the images make
the sermons more memorable.
As a result of all of this, the Select Vestry met recently to seriously explore
various screen options that might be right for St. Augustine’s. The Select Vestry
is unanimously against turning our beautiful church into some kind of cinema,
and is committed to finding some kind of solution whereby a screen can be
retracted and kept largely out of sight when it is not in use.
The integrity, beauty, symmetry and character of St. Augustine’s Church is
uppermost in all of our minds as we take tentative and exploratory steps with this
venture.
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
5
VALENTINE'S BOXES
A huge word of thanks must go to everyone who pioneered the
Valentine’s Box project. It was a lot of hard work on the part
of our catering team, not to mention the drivers and those who
brought the boxes right to peoples’ doorsteps.
Most of all we extend a huge thanks to Ivan, Elma and Merv
for coordinating this effort which had lots of positives on a
number of levels – it provided a focus for us at this time; it
provided a project in which the catering team were able to be involved; it provided
a boost for our church funds; it gave us a chance to share a sentence of scripture
with all who purchased a box, and it pulled a whole lot of men out of a hole as they
considered what to do for Valentine’s Day! Thank you to everyone.
MOTHERING SUNDAY AFTERNOON TEA BOXES
Our Valentine's Boxes were a phenomenal success - the order book was filled in
less than 24 hours!! We've decided to continue with the theme and our next boxes
will be delivered on Mothering Sunday. The order book won't open until 6pm on
Wednesday 3rd March to give those not using Facebook a chance to order this
time. Please order early to avoid disappointment.
Apologies to all who missed out last time. Once again the boxes will be delivered
between 1pm to 2pm - it takes a while to prepare and assemble the boxes!
Order via Facebook or on 07980 667613 from 6pm on the 3rd March. Many
thanks.
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
6LOCKDOWN - SA SOUPS
Our soups, along with Chutneys, Coffee and Wheatens, are still available during
this prolonged lockdown. We deliver after midday each Sunday as soon as the
livestreamed church service has finished. Orders can be placed on our Facebook
page (St. Augustine's Church - Londonderry) where we post every Thursday or
by calling 07980 667613.
We have a dedicated delivery team organised each week which considerably
lightens the delivery load - many hands make light work!! The income from the
project helps the day to day running costs of the church immensely. Many thanks
for all your support and please carry on ordering.
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
7TOURIST MINISTRY
Could you spare an hour or two per week to help show visitors around the
church during the tourist season?
St.Augustine’s tourist ministry is vitally important to our long-term
sustainability as it is really the only stream to attract ‘new money’ to keep things
ticking along comfortably. We will need a lot of help with the tourist ministry,
and if we could all shoulder a little bit of the load then it would help everyone.
As the tourist season begins, we hope we can open to the public. This gives our
wee church a visible presence in the city. The team of people who traditionally
helped with this ministry has depleted a little bit and, naturally enough, some are
also a little bit nervous about doing it again this year. Therefore, we’re actively
recruiting, (forcing, blackmailing and bribing actually!) anyone who can help us
with this.
By the way - if you are in sixth form, this would be an excellent addition to
your university portfolio / CV.
Speak to any of the Select Vestry if you think you could help in any way.
ST. COLUMBA
Our good friend Kieran Griffiths has started to script an animation which will tell
part of the story of St. Columba. We hope this will be written, narrated and
produced in a ‘horrible history’ type style which will engage young people as well
as provide us with an additional offering for our tourist ministry.
This is an innovative and creative approach to creating a legacy for the
anniversary year, and we all look forward to seeing how the project will turn out.
We plan to make the animation production available to all our local schools,
together with two copies of Hazel’s book (permission kindly granted), ‘The Little
Church on the Walls.’ It is hoped that one copy of the book would be received
by History or RE departments or coordinators, and the other by the schools’
libraries. We will keep you up to date as this project unfolds.
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
8GLEBES and PROPERTY
Rectory :- The ridge tiles on the roof have been completed but we are still waiting
for the vents to be fitted. The cracked windowsill has still to be fixed. The garden
fence has been completed.
Halls:- The flat roof above the kitchen and the flat roof above the bathroom of
the cottage have been priced and accepted but we are waiting for better weather
to proceed with this work. The walls of the main hall are also in need of repair and
we have invited tenders to address this. The fire alarms and procedures are now
up to date, so we will have to be meticulous with our record keeping and log
books.
Kitchen:- The wiring is currently being altered to help with the overloading
problems.
Church:- The ventilation is still being monitored.
External:- The stonework at the front entrance is being looked at with only one
tender having been received. The emergency staircase needs repaired for fire
safety and this scheme is out for tender. We have also invited tenders to re-render
the exterior of the main hall, which faces onto Bishop Street Car Park. The DfC/
DCSDC car park scheme is progressing very well and greatly enhances the car
park side of our property.
CHURCH FINANCES
Thank you to everyone who has continued to send in their free will offering
envelopes during this lockdown period. We have been very fortunate that cash
flow has held up well, and I remain grateful to Noel, Linda and Merv for their
ongoing assistance with the church finances.
As you read on, you will notice that we are having a drop in afternoon after church
on Sunday 21st March 2021. During this time FWO envelopes may be left in the
church hall. As always, if there is any query about church finance or if anyone
requires assistance with setting up standing order or gift aid, please contact me
on 07894 262349 or email: raw1953@live.co.uk
Drew White, Honorary Treasurer
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
9POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Select Vestry has now updated our Health and Safety Policy, Fire Policy and
Safeguarding Policy. Some day at the end of worship we will have to test our alarm
system and have a fire drill. Don’t worry – we will choose a nice day!
In terms of the Safeguarding Policy, we have been advised to have everyone
accessni checked (even if you’ve done this before). Unfortunately, it is quite a
laborious task! Apart from being the law however, in some ways the process is
perfectly timed as we look towards getting our new look creche, kidzklub and
STAY back on the road. Safeguarding also extends to adults at risk, so anyone in
our church who deals with people generally ought to be accessni checked. Speak
to the Rector, Deirdre or a Safeguarding Team member for more details.
SAFEGUARDING AND AN ENVELOPE DROP
Following an audit of our safeguarding policy and procedures we have been
advised by the Church of Ireland Board of Education to have everyone’s vetting
(accessni) renewed at this time. This is a massive piece of work and it will require
a lot of cooperation so that we have a goodly number of people vetted. The Rector
will be contacting individuals by email this week about this process, but if you have
not been contacted and think you could help us out with any of our youth provision
(Kidzklub, STAY, creche) – even as a ‘sub’ – it would be great if you would let
the either the Rector, Marshall or Irene know as soon as possible.
On Sunday 21st March the Rector, and a small team, will stay on at the church hall
after the service (or after livestreaming) until 4pm. This will be a ‘drop in’ time
when anyone who needs to be vetted can bring their identification documents.
The Rector will sign the appropriate forms and photocopy the documents. The
documents and forms will be sent to the Church of Ireland Board of Education, who
will shred the documents after a few weeks in line with GDPR laws.
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
10The instructions and the list of acceptable identification documents that follow are
for information – try not to be put off…..it looks more complicated than it actually
is! If this process applies to you, start to gather up the documents now.
We will also have a couple of laptops with us that day, so if anyone requires
assistance with the online form, we will be able to help you.
On Sunday 21st March the Treasurer will also stay on in the church hall. During
the ‘drop in’ time, parishioners who have been unable to attend church are asked
to bring any voluntary contributions, donations or free will offering envelopes on
this date.
The treasurer can also assist anyone who wishes to find out more about moving
their free will offering to standing order.
Overleaf is the list of identity documents for accessni vetting -
All applicants must provide a minimum of 3 documents and the documents
must be original not copies. Applicants can follow one of two routes:
Route 1
An applicant must provide;
One document from Group 1; and
Two further documents from Group 1 or Group 2a or Group 2b
At least one of the documents must show the applicant’s current address.
Route 2
This applies only where an applicant does not have Group1 documentation.
The applicant must provide;
Four documents from Group 2a and 2b.
One document must be a birth certificate issued after the time of birth.
One document must show the applicant’s current address
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
11For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not 12
The Rector, the Safeguarding Panel and the Treasurer are most grateful
for your assistance with these important matters.
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
13Diary for March 2021
We are very unlikely to be back in our church buildings for in person worship during
the month of March. Therefore we will continue with our pre-recording, livestreaming
and zoom meetings as detailed below.
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
14WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
This year’s World Day of Prayer has been written by the women of the Republic of Vanuatu
(located in the South Pacific Ocean). The black and white sandy beaches, coral reefs with
coloured fish, lovely birds, fruits and nuts in the forest, all make the islands a pristine
environment but they are vulnerable to frequent tropical storms, earthquakes, cyclones,
tsunamis and active volcanoes. Women, men and children of all ages are called to “Build
on a strong foundation” and live in unity, love and peace in the context of ethnic and cultural
diversity like Vanuatu and so many other places in the world.
World Day of Prayer is celebrated on Friday 5th March and we, in the Foyle area, hope to
celebrate the service prepared for us by the women of Vanuatu. The service has been
recorded by members of the Church of Ireland, Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church,
the Salvation Army and the Roman Catholic Church. It has been very different this year
but we hope you will enjoy the rich diversity the women of Vanuatu provide. The service
will be available on the Derry and Raphoe Diocese website on Friday 5th March.
Here is how you can support the work of the World Day of Prayer for all those in the world
who are struggling -
- via the World Day of Prayer website. www.wwdp.org.uk (£10.00 minimum)
- by cheque made payable to WDP sent to WDP, Commercial Road, Tunbridge Wells,
Kent TN1 2RR
- by TEXT - message TEXT 2021WDP 5 to 70085 to donate £5 up to £40 by just
adding the sum after the 2021WDP
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
Many thanks
Deirdre Amor
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
15THE LEGACY OF ST. COLUMBA and
THE LITTLE CHURCH ON THE WALLS
Part 2
Columba's education
There are no records as to what Columba was taught during these formative years
but there can be no doubt that the new religion, introduced by Patrick just over 100
years before, would have been at the very core of his studies and it was during these
early years that his name was changed to Colmcille, meaning 'dove of the church'
because of his profound love of God. Although Patrick's evangelical mission to
Ireland had been relatively successful in converting the native Irish to Christianity,
there were still parts of the island which still clung to paganism and following his
death in 461AD much work still needed to be done.
The most precious artefacts in early Christian
Ireland were the Gospels of the New Testament,
heavily embellished with ornate writing and
depicting scenes of Christ's ministry and this
lettering was a very necessary skill which
Columba would learn under Cruthneachan. As a
novice monk, It is likely that Columba would also
have prepared the vellum (skin of a calf, goat or
sheep) and the goose quills used as pens by the
scribes and also mixed together the various inks
used in the decorated borders.
The rich vibrant reds, blues, yellows and purples
all had a story of their own, some crossing ancient continents and originating from
all corners of the known world. Lapis lazuli (the vivid blue) is only found in one
place in the world - Afghanistan - and the green ink derived from malachite
originated in The Urals, Egypt, Israel and the Congo and one can only be in awe
at the sophisticated trade network employed by the scribes in the 5th and 6th
century to obtain their precious supplies. The flowers and fauna of nature would
also be exploited, yellow coming from saffron, violet from sunflowers and red
from the blood of a Dragon and an elephant! Columba would have practiced his
writing on vellum and monasteries would keep large herds to facilitate a ready
supply of food and skins. The Book of Kells, written arguably at Iona or Kells in
the 8th Century, consists of 680 pages which equates to 185 calves and many of
these iconic books would have weighed approximately 60 lbs.
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
16In his late teens, Columba moved to Movilla near Newtownards to continue his
studies and was ordained as a deacon in 543AD later travelling to Clonard, County
Meath, the most renowned divinity school in Western Europe, to be tutored by St.
Finnian who was the 'tutor of the Saints of Ireland'. Such was the fame of Clonard
that at one time three thousand students from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Gaul and
Germany were enrolled there.
Further study at Glasnevin under St. Mobhi saw the completion of his education and
Columba, aged just twenty, returned to Ulster where he was offered 200 acres of
land by his cousin Aid at a place called Doire Calgach (meaning 'place of the oaks').
Aid was the son of Ainmire, High King of Ireland and the spot chosen was a hill
shrouded in oak trees It is at this very spot, fifteen hundred years ago, that the history
of St. Augustine's - our wee church - begins and where Columba's first and most
beloved Abbey was built in 546AD. Over the next twenty years Columba built a
total of thirty Columban monasteries throughout Ireland, all tasked with spreading
the word of God. It is said that Columba was an imposing character, 6' 5" tall, red
haired, proud, and possessing a fierce temper and it was this temper which would
embroil him in a very serious incident which would have profound consequences
for all those involved and bring Columba to the brink of excommunication.
Columba borrowed a prized psalter from his old teacher St. Finnian and he was
overcome with envy to possess his own copy. This led him to make the fateful
decision to secretly copy the book and when word reached Finnian about what
Columba had done, he appealed to Diarmait, High King of Ireland for the copy to
be returned. Columba argued that the psalter and its precious contents should be
available for all the people to see and that was why he had made the copy but the
King did not believe Columba and ruled in Finnian's favour, famously pronouncing
'to every cow its calf...to every book its cover'. Columba did not take the King's
ruling well (all the more so because he was a relative) and in a fit of temper fled back
to his home territory, adding insult to injury by giving sanctuary to a fugitive fleeing
from King Diarmait. Who would have thought that a row about a book would end
up costing the lives of 3000 souls?
....But more about that next month.
(Hazel Philson)
There was an error in last weeks article. Columba's name at
baptism was Crimthian and not Corinthian - oops sorry Hazel !
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
17SAMMY NICHOLL REMEMBERS
My name is Sammy Nicholl and I am the eldest of three brothers born to Marjorie
and Sam Nicholl who were originally from Fahan in Co Donegal who worked all
their life in Northern Ireland both as a factory machinist in a shirt factory and a
farm labourer.
We lived in the Collon Lane which was a road leading from the Buncrana Road
to the Racecourse Road before all the housing developments. Our house was just
below the Gate Lodge where the old railway line between Derry and Buncrana
crossed the road and where the Templemore Sports Complex is built now. I have
good memories growing up here as we were in the “country” as it was then before
the housing developments.
Our church was a big part of our lives growing up between biblical education and
meeting new friends. Our trip to Sunday School in St Augustine’s meant my
mother had to take us on the Sunday morning walk around the Collon Lane or
otherwise in the Buncrana Road and into “The Collon” as it was called and get
the UTA bus to The Diamond and walk up to the church. There was no other
public transport service available for us and we had no other means to get there.
This took about half an hour to get to the bus and even longer in bad weather as
it didn’t make any difference as my mother insisted we had to go to Sunday
School. While we were in Sunday school my mother went to the church service
and we met up afterwards and made the same journey home.
Our highlight every year in the summer was the
Sunday School excursion where we made our way to
the Waterside Train Station armed with pennies,
threepence bits and sixpences and maybe an odd
shilling. We were all excited as we lined up to board
the train. The excitement continued in the carriage while we waited for the train
to take off. Once on our way there was the smell of smoke from the steam engine
if the carriage window was open and all had to be closed before the tunnels at
Castlerock where everything went into darkness for a period of time as we still
chugged along. As soon as we arrived in Portrush our hysteria was directed to the
vision of Barry’s Amusements as we came out of the station and all it presented
in the hobby horses and the bumper cars. My mother had made tomato
sandwiches and we ate those along the promenade.
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
18After a wee walk around and visiting Barry’s and playing on the beach we went
to get our lunch in the hall. On one of the years we arrived at the hall and as we
waited beside the tea lady serving the tea she collapsed and we looked in
amazement and then we felt a bit dizzy. We were all taken outside. An ambulance
was called and the lady and all of us were taken to Coleraine Hospital for
observation. This turned out to be a gas leak in the kitchen, oh dear! Once
discharged and brought back to Portrush later in the day we continued to enjoy
our trip. We arrived back in the city and before we went home we had the treat
of fish or sausage and chips in the fish shop at the Collon which made up for the
lost time during the day. Shortly afterwards Canon McKegney contacted our
mother and he took us all for an afternoon down to the beach at Fahan to make
up for what we missed out on.
All three of us had joined the Cubs and Boy Scouts and were really enjoying the
different interaction with other children of our age and the challenges to achieve
badges. Other highlights were the summer camp to Castlerock and the trek up to
the Mussenden Temple for an educational visit. Going to the scouts presented
problems getting to the Church Hall as we had no transport in the wintertime and
there was no public transport so the Curate at the time, Rev Stewart Downey, took
upon himself to pick us up in his wee Renault Dauphine and bring us back home
again after this enjoyable experience. This made such a difference to us as we
were able to meet and make friends and have a wonderful evening doing practical
achievements.
Another camp was when we went to the Church Hall in Moville, sleeping bags /
blankets on board for another few days. We were collected to attend these by
volunteers. This camp took us to enjoy the scenery and a long walk along the
promenade and enjoy playing on the beach. Another camp I remember was the
Church Hall in Buncrana. These were memorable experiences for us making
good friendships and getting involved in group activities. Looking back this was
a brilliant experience organised through church activities for young people.
Many thanks to Sammy for sharing his memories of years ago. I am sure it
brings back memories - especially to those of us who boarded the train for
the annual Sunday School Excursions. If you would like to tell us your
story please let us know.
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
19MEMORIES of ST. AUGUSTINE'S - Part 2
Prologue: Alan Neely is a brave man! Having read my first article, he has asked for more of
my memories of growing up in St. Augustine’s in the rectory as the Rector’s son. I do hope
I won’t bore you!
Last time I spoke mainly about the people who were our neighbours when we lived in 16
Queen Street. It was architecturally a fine house but not the most up to date even by 1950’s
standards. It was built for the days of gracious living when wealthy merchants could afford
to employ staff as servants. The rectory family didn’t have such luxury!
A visitor to the rectory would
enter a long hall with a staircase
leading upstairs from it. The
first door on the left was the
dining room which was really
only used for entertaining. My
mother loved cooking, baking
and having people in and my
fondest memories are of the large table surrounded by guests.
There was still a strong Naval presence in the city and we had
several Naval officers who used to be regular visitors when their ships were in Port.
I particularly remember a Captain Lancaster but I have no memory of what his ship was.
My mother rather liked to play cupid by inviting attractive single ladies and eligible bachelors
on the same night. One particular success was when her second cousin from Navan, one
Jean Rountree, came to train as a nurse in Altnagelvin and she was invited to supper with
a dashing young St. Augustine’s member, teacher and Scout leader, Norman Austin! The
rest, as they say, is history! We had many visiting clergy for Harvest Services, Children’s Day
and from the various missionary societies. In those days if a preacher was coming any
distance he usually arrived by train the night before and maybe stayed with us until the
Monday morning. My mother was a consummate and skilled performer in the kitchen. Her
Northlands training did not go to waste! We took for granted excellent meals
and, as I now know, produced on a tight budget. I usually enjoyed the craic
because my father was better at talking to other clergy about all sorts of things
than he was a wee boy who happened to be his son! Mind you a few could
be rather stuffy, pious or both!
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
20Before I leave the dining room I must mention the old wind up gramophone and the huge stock
of old 78 rpm records we had there. I loved playing them; one of my favourites was ‘The
Mutton Burn Stream’ sung by Sir Richard Hayward and another was ‘You’re in the Army Mr
Jones, no private rooms or telephones’. The needles had to be replaced every time a record
was played but, despite rumours to the contrary, I was never injected with one!
Next to the dining room was the study which in Queen Street also served as a family room
and sewing centre. While my father hammered away at his desk on his ancient 1905
typewriter my mother made our clothes on her pride and joy – a Singer
cabinet sewing machine which had been a 21st birthday present from
her parents. I still have both of them! The desk, a roll top, went to Peter
in Taunton but it has now been passed on into other hands.
Peter and I played there too especially in the winter when it was the only
room with a fire lit. The rest of the house could be best described as
‘Baltic’! When a new rectory was proposed, my father’s mantra was
that it should have a good kitchen and a good study, he wanted peace
to work! Bishop Street got both but not a separate family room!
One of our regular babysitters was Jean, by now, Austin and I
remember she kept asking me about colours; as a nurse she was the first to twig that I have
a red-green colour deficiency.
Beyond the kitchen there was our rather dark daily ‘eating room’ where we ate most of our
meals and behind it the kitchen with an ancient gas cooker and no mod cons or fitted
cupboards. An estate agent would say it had ‘character’. Outside the back door there was
a meat safe on the north facing side wall of the house. No fridge in those days. No television
either but we had a small Bush radio which had a two prong plug which only worked if it was
plugged in the right way round; Queen Street always had DC (Direct Current) electricity in our
time there. This meant a lot of electrical appliances couldn’t be used – including model railway
transformers! One of our curates, Tom Crawford, bought my parents a toaster as a Christmas
present one year. My mother wanted a shelf for it in the living room and so my father got to
work with angle brackets and some wood. DIY was not his forte for every time the toast
popped up the shelf wobbled and the toaster fell off!
Down below there was a big basement with rooms for servants and a large unused kitchen
and wash room. We had no servants but one of the rooms was ideal for storing the hundreds
of jars of marmalade my mother made each year and which were eagerly snapped up at sales
in aid of the church. My earliest memory of the wash room was of my mother using a
washboard and a large wooden mangle.
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
21She used to get up early on Monday morning to do the washing. She then got a Parnall
Washing machine with a hand operated wringer which lasted until it was replaced by a
newer model which sported electrically powered wringer! The last word in those days. The
old kitchen was used to try to dry clothes in wet weather but this was greatly helped when
Mum acquired a Flatley Clothes dryer which was really a convector in box and potentially
major fire hazard if clothes fell off the wooden poles at the top.
Including the basement stairs there were six flights of stairs. From the hall two led to the
first floor where there was the very elegant drawing room with a fine fireplace. It was used
when entertaining and for church meetings but even with a blazing fire it could be cold in
winter. Dr Peter Pyne has beautifully restored it to its former glory and enhanced it with
central heating! Next to this was the guest bedroom which became my grandparents’ room
when they moved from Sligo to live with us not long before we moved to Bishop Street. Two
more flights took us to our parents’ bedroom and ours. Another flight led to the bathroom
and a final set of stairs took us to the attics. Many St. Augustine’s children will have known
one of those attic rooms for my father kept story books along with Bibles, Hymnbooks and
Prayerbooks for Sunday School prizes which he generally stocked up on in the sales. Any
child that wanted a swop climbed to the top of the rectory to choose another volume!
In another room there were all sorts of things like an alligator’s head
and my father’s Sam Brown belt complete with his (!) pistol from his
days in the Army in WW1. He became a Second Lieutenant having
trained in Tipperary and always joked how he had received his
Warrant as an Officer and his discharge papers in the same post. I
always thought it was just a good story until late last year I found the
documents amongst his archives – both bearing the same date!
Next time I plan to talk about school, Sunday School and church going and my brother Peter
has agreed to write an instalment about his memories of the Cubs and Scouts. If you would
like to add to my memories feel free to get in touch with me at my email address below
John McKegney Portrush
12 February 2021
johnwmckegney@gmail.com
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
22hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
23PARISHIONERS NEWS
What has life been like for some of our parishioners during the lockdowns ?
Gillian McCrabbe writes ........
"Our day starts at between 5/6 am, Maddie climbs into our bed and asks- "Can I
go to the beach with my family today?" "Can I go see Granny, Granda and Penny?"
"Can I go see Kirsty, Charlie and Izzy?" "Can I have a dance party with Robbie
and Ellie?" "Can I see my friends at school?" "Can I go to church today?"
Every morning, she just wants to see people, she doesn't care
where or what she does, she just needs to see people! Lockdown
1.0 was a novelty, the sun was shining and we thought it was
going to be a one off event? Lockdown 2.0, we still had school
and Christmas to look forward to with our "bubble" of family.
Lockdown 3.0 or 3000 which it feels like at the minute has been
the hardest for us all, most of all Maddie.
With the bigger kids I can explain that the powers that be have
locked us down again, they can understand that we have never been through a
pandemic before, nobody really knows what to do, that lockdown is to keep us safe
and that it will end eventually- they understand that time will pass and that
although it's hard, we will look back and realise we survived a pandemic!
Maddie doesn't grasp time, she can't grasp why she was allowed to go to see her
friends a few weeks ago to being told she can't again, that the germs are still here
and we have to keep her safe! Home has lost it's luster, it's not a novelty to have
everyone home again, especially not now that the older kids have remote learning
so essentially are in school, their classrooms just happen to have taken over the
house!
Maddie's diagnosis of William's Syndrome means that she needs
social interaction, it's actually built into her DNA to be social.
Without this, her anxiety builds, she struggles to say goodbye to
people as she just doesn't know when she is going to see them
again. She needs hugs and hi fives, she needs to speak to people
outside of her home and zoom just doesn't cut it anymore.
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
24But with the negative comes the positive, Maddie still goes to school for 3
sessions a week, it's for 90 minutes each time with her Special Needs Assistant
and teacher and with that one to one time she has really excelled at school, she
is reading words and writing letters independently. School in her words "is so
boring!" but she would be lost without that small level of outside interaction. So
for now, when she climbs into bed in the early hours of the morning, we tell her
that soon we will go back to school with her friends, that soon we will see her
family and friends and that soon we will get back to allowing her to thrive and
be that little social butterfly that just loves to meet new people and friends xx.
George Patterson writes ...........
"Ann and I were very fortunate in the first lockdown as we had the garden, I had
my shed and the weather was exceptional. I was able to carry out minor jobs at
my leisure as we were not going anywhere. Fortunately there was enough paint
left from the previous year to renew the garden walls and fences.
Ann, Michelle and I had a daily morning workout which
was enjoyable and consisted of exercises followed by
running circuits of the garden including up and down
steps. We learned new skills from baking to Facetime
which enabled us to remain in contact with family and
friends. We missed our regular trips to Belfast (and still
do) to see family and are looking forward to when we can
return and resume hugs again. In the week leading up to
Christmas we made a flying visit to Belfast where we met
some family inside their garage with the doors open. That
was as good as it got." (opposite - Michelle enjoying her
foot spa outside during the lockdown)
Sandra McConnell writes .......
"During lockdown I drastically reduced my exercise routine which helped my
arthritis !! (who knew?) Instead I sofa lounged by streaming crime dramas,
contacted family and friends, old and new, bought a new gentle exercise machine
and added to my gemstone jewellery collection. I joined an interesting Alpha
Course, followed Covid guidelines, got vaccinated and stayed positive. "
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
25BIBLE READINGS FOR MARCH
These readings are brought to us from Daily Bread by Scripture Union
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
26NEW FURNITURE FOR KIDZ KLUB
THE NEW YOUTH ROOM
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
27For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not 28
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
29IN MEMORIAMS
In Memory of Eileen Robinson
£20.00 from The Rector
In Memory of my husband David Dunlop
£200.00 (Fabric Fund) from Kathleen
In Memory of David Dunlop
£50.00 (Fabric Fund) from Dickie and Elizabeth Montgomery
In Memory of our Parents Jim and Daisy Taylor
£200.00 (for Fabric Fund) from Ivan, Elma, Trevor & Keith
In Loving Memory of Samuel Vickery
Happy Heavenly Birthday. Missed every day.
£100.00 from his wife Lorraine, Lee and Laura
DONATIONS
To the Church Magazine
£10.00 from Mrs Pam Boyd
All donations to the church should be forwarded to:-
Mr R. Montgomery, 1 Sycamore Gardens, Drumahoe, Londonderry
CHRISTIAN BURIAL
Eileen Robinson (nee Starrett) –
Passed away 26th January 2021. Laid to rest 28th January 2021
‘I know that my redeemer liveth’
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
30The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
31From the
LEAH Kitchen
Spring is nearly with us and here's hoping that the weather is as kind to usthis year as last.
The recipes this month have been devised with thoughts of outside eating and picnics in
mind ......... fingers crossed - it's been a long year!!
_____________________________________________________
Sort of Sausage Rolls
8 x good quality sausages
8 x mini flour tortillas
Chutney of choice
Melted butter or rapeseed oil
1. Grill or roast the sausages until just done. Leave to cool slightly.
2. Spread the tortillas with a little chutney - don't overdo it.
3. Put a sausage on top of each one, roll tightly and secure with cocktail sticks.
4. Place the rolls onto a baking tray and brush with a little butter or oil.
5. Bake for 10 minutes at 160c/140 fan/gas 3. Serve with extra chutney/Mayo.
PS - these work equally well with fish goujons/fingers or breaded chicken strips.
_____________________________________________________
Cheats Tandoori Chicken
Half tablespoon rapeseed or vegetable oil
3 x tablespoons curry powder
1 x tablespoon tomato paste
Half tablespoon brown sugar
Half teaspoon salt
140 mls Greek yoghurt
500 gms chicken thigh fillets
1. Preheat oven to 200c/180 fan/gas 6 and line a baking tray with foil.
2. Put all the ingredients except the chicken into a bowl and mix throughly.
3. Add the chicken, stir to coat and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
4. Lay the marinated chicken onto the foil, spooning over any remaining marinade.
5. Bake for 30 minutes then grill for a few minutes to get a proper charred tandoori.
6. Enjoy with rice and/or Naan and a tomato, cucumber and onion salsa.
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
32Salsa
Mix cherry tomato halves, chopped cucumber and finely sliced scallions with lemon juice,
a pinch of sugar, mint and/or coriander. Season and top with chilli flakes for some heat.
_____________________________________________________
Lemon, Crumb and Chocolate Pots
This is the dessert we included in the Valentine's Tea Boxes. Quite a few people messaged
for the recipe so here it is!! It's possibly the easiest dessert ever.
Lemon Layer
400 mls double cream
100 gms caster sugar
4 x tablespoons lemon juice
1. Put the cream and sugar into a saucepan and slowly bring to a boil, stirring.
2. Simmer for 3 mins, take off the heat, add the lemon juice and whisk throughly.
3. Divide into glasses, filling two thirds full and place in fridge.
Crumb Layer
Chop or crush 3 or 4 chocolate chips cookies and spoon on top of the lemon layer.
Chocolate Layer
100 mls double cream
100 gms dark chocolate, chopped
1. Bring the cream to a boil, take off the heat and add the chopped chocolate.
2. Leave for few minutes, whisk until chocolate has fully melted and mixture glossy.
3. Spoon or pour over the lemon and crumb layers and put into the fridge for a couple
of hours until mixture has set.
4. Serve with a little more cream but be careful- it's a very rich wee thing !!
_____________________________________________________
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
33BOOK RECOMMENDATION
'Proof of Heaven' is a gripping story, unique in the literature of spiritual
experiences, that may well change how we understand our role in the universe.
One morning in 2008 eminent neurosurgeon Dr Eben Alexander fell into a coma
after suffering a rare form of bacterial meningitis. Scans of his brain revealed
massive damage. He was not expected to survive. As his family prepared
themselves for the worst, something miraculous happened. Dr. Alexander's brain
went from near total inactivity to awakening. He awoke a changed man, certain of
the infinite reach of the soul, certain of a life beyond death.
He writes "The place I went to was real. Real in a way that makes the life we are
living now completely dreamlike by comparison. What happened to me while I
was in a coma is hands down the most important story I will ever tell."
THE WEE CHURCH ON THE WALLS
Copies of Hazel's book are still available from the church for a small donation. It
would make an ideal gift to a friend of the church. Just ring the church office on
02871 366041 to reserve a copy.
PRAYER REQUESTS
If you would like prayer for yourself or a friend please contact Deirdre Amor or
the Rector and they will include these requests in the Monday night prayer session
on Zoom. If you feel that you would like to join the prayer session simply let the
Rector know and he will send you the link via email.
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not
34DICKIE'S GARDENING TIPS FOR MARCH
If you have a glasshouse or an unused window sill you can start
setting seeds now -
Flowers: sweet pea, sweet william
Vegetables: lettuce, leeks, beetroot and spring onions.
Early potatoes and onion sets - plant outside in late March.
.
Summer bulbs can be planted where you want them to grow
eg. gladioli, lilies, when the soil starts to get a little warmer.
Dahlias & begonia can be started off in pots in the glasshouse
or under cover for planting out in mid-April.
Last chance to plant bare-root roses to have a good show in
summer.
Now is the time to prune gooseberries, red & blackcurrants.
Happy gardening it will soon be grass-cutting time again!
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
35For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not 36
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
37For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not 38
Rector – Rev’d Nigel Cairns
25 Dunnwood Park Londonderry BT47 2NN
Home – 028 7132 9951
Office – 028 7136 6041
Email – weechurch@btinternet.com
Safeguarding Trust Panel
Mr Marshall Kilgore MBE 028 7134 2461
Mrs Irene Stone 028 7134 4671
Rector’s Church Warden: Miss Chloe Guthrie
Mobile No. 07849 793717
People’s Church Warden: Mrs Maureen Neely
Mobile No. 07446 370000
Organist: Miss Lauren Duncan
Hon. Treasurer: Mr Drew White
Mobile No. 07894 262349
Parish Reader: Mrs Deirdre Amor
028 7131 2555
Sexton: Mr Dickie Montgomery
028 7130 1432
Magazine Editor: Mr Alan Neely
Mobile No. 0779 1414165
Any articles for inclusion in the March magazine must be with
the editor by 19th March 2021
Please email to : weechurch2020@gmail.com
hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)
39For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his
face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22 v24)You can also read
