Twin Spires News NURSLING & ROWNHAMS - WebEdition January2022
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NURSLING & ROWNHAMS
Twin Spires News
Web Edition January 2022
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St John’s Church (SO16 8AH) is in Horns Drove, Rownhams.
St Boniface Church (SO16 0YB) is in Church Lane, Nursling.
The Parish Office is usually staffed Monday to Friday 9.30am to 11.30am
(excluding public holidays) and, during the Covid-19 situation, it is being
staffed remotely, so please do not call at the office in person.
However, the answer machine and email are checked regularly.
Telephone: 023 8073 8293. email: office@twinspires.org.uk
Our website is www.twinspires.org.uk
If you would like to have your own copy of Twin Spires News, it is available
from either church, price 60p per copy or £6 for 1 year (Jan to Dec). We will
continue publishing online during 2022 and are delighted to tell you that the
price of a paper publication has been held for 2022. Copies may be delivered
free within the area, by arrangement. Please see page 21-22 for more
information. There are a number of ways you can donate to church funds
(outlined on page 13). Bank Transfer is the preferred method and there is also
a …DONATE… button on the church website, which offers a very simple
option for any one-off on-line gifts.
Cover Image by Sandi O’Donnell
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Verse of the Month
Hosea
I leave my peace with you. I give my peace to you. I do not give
it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be troubled.
And do not be afraid. John 14:27 (NIRV)
Your Special Bible Verses - Do please email us your favourite, uplifting verses at
twinspiresnews@live.co.uk and help us to share inspirational verses each month
with our church family during 2022. It would be even more special if you can offer a
little insight into the special significance that the words hold for you. Thank you to
everyone who blessed us by contributing to ‘Verse of the Month’ during 2021.
Dear Friends,
In the western churches, the Epiphany (‘manifestation’) is an occasion to
celebrate one element in the story of Christ’s birth, the visit of the far-travelled
Magi, understood as the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, the non-
Jewish people, the whole world. Matthew’s account speaks simply of ‘wise
men from the east,’ later tradition fixed their number at three, made them
kings and recalled their resonant names: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar.
From earliest times, the Church has gathered on Sundays to celebrate the
good news of Jesus Christ. Over time, an annual cycle of Christian memory-
making has also developed, which allows us to remember His life, death, and
resurrection; to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit; and to recall the ministry of
the holy people who have spread the Christian faith over the centuries. The
wise men returning home a ‘different way’ or with a changed heart, may
represent the beginnings of the sharing of the love of Christ.
The Magi are only mentioned in Matthew's gospel. After Jesus was born in
Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came
to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the
Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.’ It is
highly likely that the journey of the Magi took several years and that any sense
that Jesus was visited in that first stable is rather remote. Many historians
believe that Jesus was at least 2 years old when visited by the Magi.
During this epic journey, in their waiting and their struggles, they surely must
have encountered so many ups and downs, perhaps false dawns and dashed
hopes, with only a star to follow. How must have following
that star been, when the sky was cloudy and the star was
almost impossible to see. When at different times of the
year the star felt remote and far away in the distance,
almost implausible, somehow tenuous. When the
seasons, even the seasons of life, meant simply locating
the star, the light, was exhausting and so much effort.
When I think of the waiting and of the disappointment, and of unwelcome news
and false dawns of the last nearly two years of the pandemic, the story of the
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wise men becomes very real. So much time has been spent waiting for solutions,
for vaccines, for lockdowns to end, for good news to come, for the virus to
disappear and for hospital appointments to arrive, for diagnoses, for treatments.
And so often what we hope for and what happens is not at all what we expected.
The wise men went in search of a king, and found a baby. This tiny king was not
the Messiah Herod wanted or the Jews expected. Herod chose to act against Him
in anger and ultimately the Jews either followed Him or rejected him. The wise
men in that moment simply chose to worship, adore, and pay tribute to Him. I
wonder, were they confused or doubtful about this child born in such
circumstances? Did they question their prophesies? Or did they simply
accept? It seems that as they went back another way, a sense of changed
hearts, of a new more faithful mindset, was very much in order.
So many of us over the last long period have been on our own long journeys.
We know what we want and hope to find, but many of us do not arrive where
we expect. Like the wise men, we have a choice as to how to approach these
unfamiliar circumstances around us. How to navigate the difficult terrain and
occasionally treacherous, unfamiliar ground - where the star, the light, can feel
very distant. We can grow angry and resentful like Herod and wonder why.
We can deny the truth before us like the Pharisees. Or we can accept what
seems so unbelievable, and we can learn to do it over and over again in every
instance of uncertainty, and in every circumstance where we feel anxious and
afraid and receive answers to questions which are not as we had hoped.
There’s no denying that our various paths over the last two years have for
many been unfamiliar and scary. Thankfully we are not running from a crazed
ruler who might want to kill us, though we can certainly struggle with the
decisions of our rulers. Nevertheless, the fear and uncertainty are real. We
can take peace and comfort in the knowledge that it’s often in the waiting, in
managing our expectations, on life’s difficult journeys, that we can follow the
light. Even when the light can seem far away, it’s still visible in the darkness
and in the end leads us closer to Christ. A journey that calls us to depend on
him no matter what, as he goes before us in all things.
The church cycle always looks back and reflects. We, as God’s people, are
experts at waiting, and at traveling down long uncertain trails. We know all too
well the sting of unrealized expectations. But things don't have to make sense,
or go according to plan, for us to worship and adore God. To find our strength
and hope in Him. We have confidence and hope in life’s journey where we
encounter Christ time and again as He reveals Himself to us
and moulds us and shapes us in His image, by drawing us
deeper into Himself as He did with the wise men. I wonder as
we embrace another new year full of pandemic uncertainty,
can we find strength in the light of Christ and learn to accept
such troubles with the wisdom of the Magi.
Peace be with you. Rev Graeme
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Jean Wylde
‘Homework sheet – read it; don’t forget to
take it with you… I shall ask questions
next week!’.
…Even though we have not seen these since the
first lockdown back in March 2020, how could
we forget Jean’s interpretation of the weekly A5
news flyer given to us each Sunday.
Countless batches of marmalade, and jam
made using fruits from her garden – Jean
generously donated the proceeds to the Flower Fund. Her cakes! Amazing
elderflower muffins, fruit cake, gorgeous Victoria sponges – she was a
brilliant baker!
She was St Boniface Church. The services she loved to organise and
arrange to perfection – she loved Mothering Sunday, Easter, Harvest
Festival, Sea Sunday, Remembrance Day, Toy and Gift, Christmas -
probably not without a huge amount of stress and worry – but whatever
went on in the preparation, her sermons were so interesting and enjoyable
to hear. She often started with a story and incorporated any relevant
personal experiences she had, which always made it so real.
Jean was a very private person at times, a very stoic lady; carried the world
on her shoulders, but she was funny (often without realising it), with a fun
sense of humour. She always kept us flower ladies on the straight and
narrow when we used to meet up in coffee shops – or she would host at
home - for a planning meeting to discuss how we were going to decorate
the church for the forthcoming celebration service. She never interfered,
but we always sought her advice if we wondered whether the vicar would
approve of our displays, and she was always straight with her opinions.
But that commanded huge respect, which we had for her. Then, at that
‘special’ service, without fail she would draw attention to our masterpieces
and thank all concerned. Never, ever did she forget to do that.
Jean adored all the Friday Gang. They too loved her to bits, as we all did.
She found everyone very entertaining and they kept her amused with their
banter. Only a month before she passed away, she drove down to St
Boniface with some gingerbread she had made for refreshments. I am so
glad I was there to talk to her. Earlier in the season I was raiding dahlias
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from her garden each week, to decorate the church. By then she was quite
poorly – more so than she would ever divulge, but she was delighted that
her flowers would be shared amongst many. Those days will stay very
special to me. She was there for Harvest Festival but sadly she was too
poorly to take the Remembrance Day service. However, determined as she
was, she had prepared it all, even to have written her sermon. John Holden
stepped in for her, but it made the occasion even more poignant knowing it
was Jean’s service. The only item missing was her lovely ceramic poppy
she bought from the display at The Tower of London back in 2014 to
commemorate the centenary of WWII. It always took pride of place on the
Altar at St Boniface. She had intended to bring it down….
In hindsight, I think as a congregation we probably said ‘goodbye’ to Jean
on Sunday 7 November, when Peter Russell LLM took the service at St
Boniface. Jean had wanted to be there in the congregation because
Samantha and Lizzie had grown up with him and his family, years ago.
However, a fall the day before prevented her from being there, so everyone
signed a card which I took, with a bouquet, to give to Jean to ‘wish her a
speedy recovery’. The love that went into those messages, as the card was
passed around. That will be a lasting memory for us all, including Jean.
Sail away Jean. I will miss you hugely. You have left a legacy which St
Boniface folk will never stop talking about – or forget. Angela Wright
When visiting the Friday Gang in October, Abbie and Caroline
had the privilege to enjoy some of Jean’s tasty gingerbread from
the batch that Angela mentions here - Beautiful!
We would love to hear your own fond memories of Jean, so we
can share them with our church family in next month’s magazine
too. Please email us: twinspiresnews@live.co.uk Threds
Earth and Seasons
Lord of the elements and changing seasons, keep me in the hollow of Your
hand. When I am tossed to and fro with the winds of adversity and the blasts of
sickness and misunderstanding, still my racing heart, quieten my troubled mind.
Bring me at last through the storms and tribulations of this mortal life
into the calm evening of Your unchanging love; and grant that in the
midst of my present perplexities and confusion I may experience
Your peace, which passes human understanding.
Brother Ramon, member of the Anglican Society of St Francis
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Our Vision: As a Church Community We Seek to
Thank you to all my church family, for your prayers,
visits, flowers and the wonderful support, that you have
shown to Nathan and myself over the past weeks, as we
struggle to come to terms with the loss of my son, James,
who was Nathan’s younger brother.
To say thank you, just doesn’t seem enough, but we
can’t find any other appropriate words to use. We know that prayer has
given us the ability to get through each day, and will continue to be our
constant help in the days, weeks and months to come.
At the moment, I can’t look to the future, but I know we have hope, given
to us by God, through his Son Jesus Christ.
I have a go-to book of Hope and Courage, with verses written by people
from different walks of life, and one of these verses is:
The important thing is not that we can live on hope alone,
but that life is not worth living without it.
God Bless each and every one of you, and
once again I use those two little words:
Thank You.
Much love,
Christine and Nathan Hartley
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New Street Pastors
We are so proud to share that Christine, Vanessa, Rodney and David were
commissioned as Street pastors on Sunday 21st November. What a
wonderful achievement to have four new street pastors from one church!
Congratulations to them all!
‘Over 2 years ago, every time I came to church, I felt God was telling me to
step out of my comfort zone, I made cakes, (nothing wrong with that), in
the end I had a word with Mike Bunce, (to be honest I thought I was too
old), and it just went from there.
Going out as an observer, on my first outing it didn’t stop raining. The
Lord has been so good to me, I’ve patrolled with some wonderful people,
met some amazing people, had some great conversations, I feel very
privileged that the Lord led me to become a part of Street Pastors.’
Christine Hartley
‘Thank you so much for your amazing service and commitment. A fantastic
example of discipleship. May God bless and protect you and those you
encounter. Grace and peace.’ Rev Graeme
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Creation Care Website
I wonder if you’ve had a look at the website
creationcare.org.uk yet.
There are 7 sections to work on. It’s quite
challenging. I did fairly well in 6 of them but
less well in the Garden section. I am sure some
of you will have done quite a bit better than my
score of 45 in this section.
I used to feed the birds but stopped this when I realised I was also feeding
rats. When I worked out how to prevent the food dropping onto the ground,
they just climbed the tree!
I do have a small vegetable patch which I wasn’t terribly successful with
this year but which produced a wonderful crop of tomatoes last year.
Apart from the above and deliberately planting a bee friendly shrub I
hadn’t really thought about how to make the garden wildlife friendly.
I’ve now learned though that it is good to encourage climbing plants such
as honeysuckle, clematis and ivy which can act as shelter for birds and
bees. This is making me look at the ivy that creeps over the fence from the
electricity substation behind in a different light!
So, with the help of this website, I have given myself some actions to make
the garden more wildlife friendly.
To build an insect hotel and install a bird box
To plant a berry bearing shrub and a drought resistant shrub
To leave some perennials uncut until spring
I’d like to make a small wildflower meadow too but I don’t think I have
room for that without sacrificing some of the fairly small vegetable plot.
I’d be really interested to hear if anyone else has engaged with this website
and what actions they have decided to take on.
Claire Thompson
We as a church have committed, as part of the Eco
Church award scheme, to praying for Wolf Fields. It
is a project in Southall, London run by Kailean
Khongsai and his wife Kim, part of A Rocha UK.
They have turned what was previously a wasteland into a wonderland!
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We've had the following prayer points from Kailean which I’d like to share
with you.
1. Thank God that we have some more new partners. Example-
Southall Mental Health Project, Homeless Project.
2. Thank God that we still have committed volunteers who help us
weekly despite COVID -19 cases rising again in our locality.
3. Pray for protection - for staff, volunteers and our local partners
4. Thank God that Wolf Fields Nature Reserve (Project) won the
London Faith Community Award 2021, as the project attracted people
from various faith and cultural backgrounds since its inception.
5. As we look ahead and plan for next year’s project activities - we
will appreciate prayer for wisdom.
You can read more about the Wolf Fields project on their website:
arocha.org.uk
Pre Christmas Litter Pick
On Saturday December 11th, the litter pickers set out a week later
than usual, and tackled the area surrounding the Old Post Office in
Rownhams. The weather was relatively mild and fairly dry.
As this is such a busy time of year, we were especially grateful to all
those who turned out to freshen the area for the festive season. In the
event there were 9 of us there to help.
We collected a relatively modest haul of detritus, though there were a
number of things, including a pair of men's boots, out of reach on the
motorway embankment. Additionally, a fly-tip on Rownhams Lane was
reported to TVBC.
In January, we are giving all our volunteers the New Year weekend off, and
will meet at 10.30am on Saturday 8th January, at the lower junction of
Nutshalling Avenue and Horns Drove to tackle the surrounding area,
including Nursling Street between the junction and the Co-op.
Many thanks to all our willing volunteers
and their efforts during 2021. And let's hope
for an even better turnout in the new year!
Mary Carter & Marion Swinerd
10Christian Basics: God the Creator
For many today, the universe began with a big bang, in which a lump of
matter, smaller than a pinhead, exploded 15 billion years ago. It’s a story that
defines who we are and where we come from. However, the Bible gives us
another perspective on this event, revealing God as Creator: ‘By faith we
understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is
seen was not made out of what was visible’ (Hebrews 11:3). What does
Genesis 1 say about God as Creator?
‘In the beginning, God’ - Whereas science can offer answers about the how of
creation, the Bible tells us about the why ie the purpose of the Creator!
Creation reflects the character and glory of God, inviting a response of
dependence and praise!
‘God created the heavens and the earth’ - God shaped the universe, as
expressed in the ‘6 days’ of creation. They speak of an ordered and purposeful
universe that expresses God’s will: He spoke and it was done! An alternative
translation is ‘God began creating’, reminding us that creation is also an
ongoing process, where the Holy Spirit is still at work in our lives and world.
‘God created man in His own image’ - In the account, human beings are
presented as the climax and crown of creation. We share the sixth day of
creation with other creatures, as well as 95% of the same DNA. However, we
are distinctively made in the image of God, created for relationship with God,
with a responsibility to care for the created order.
‘And God saw that it was good’ - Like an artist, God described His work as
good. We should always approach this story with wonder, enjoying God’s
world and affirming creativity in ourselves and others.
Paul Hardingham
The New Year
If we put our hand in God’s hand The Sinless One from heaven came
As we enter this New Year To dwell with us on earth,
Not knowing what the future holds He sought and bought us with His blood
But that our Friend is near And offered us new birth.
We shall not fear what lies ahead Now as we travel through this year
If He is by our side, He knows the things He’s planned,
Nor wander from the pathway So let us trust and know just this -
If He will be our guide. Our times are in His hands.
Megan Carter
11Breathe
You show your majesty
In every star that shines,
And every time we breathe.
Your glory, God revealed
From distant galaxies
To here beneath our skin.
These words from the song Magnificent by Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin
speak volumes to me as a scientist. Redman is an astronomy geek who has ‘an
appreciation for the universe that surrounds us, particularly its unique ability to
lift our hearts to see how massive and mysterious God truly is’.*
The microscopic level on the other hand – what goes on ‘beneath our skin’ – is
less available to ordinary people. I have had the privilege of exploring this
world to my heart’s content, and what I’ve seen has given me such a sense of
awe that I want to share with others.
Every time you breathe, a series of air pockets with a combined surface area
the size of a tennis court is bathed with oxygen. These minute air pockets are
covered with blood vessels. The boundary between air and blood is so thin that
oxygen and carbon dioxide can diffuse freely from one to the other.
When your heart beats at a normal rate, a single red blood cell takes about
three quarters of a second to travel through the small blood vessels in your
lungs. But in just one third of that time, a quarter of a second, that cell has
already received all the oxygen it needs from the air. So, when you exercise,
causing your heart rate to increase and the blood to flow faster, you’re still
getting plenty of oxygen – as long as you keep breathing!
Redman and Myrin wrote in their song, “You are higher than we ever could
imagine, And closer than our eyes could ever see.” The universe demonstrates
God’s awesome power. This is a place made by a being whose imagination is
not limited by time and space.
Biology, on the other hand, helps to remind me of God’s creativity and closeness.
I am a product of a long and painstaking process of continued development over
aeons of time. Beneath my skin are incredibly detailed, beautifully regulated
processes that give me life. Jesus said that ‘even the very hairs of your head are all
numbered.’ The knowledge that God intentionally made me and knows every
detail of my physiology is both amazing and humbling.
Dr Ruth M Bancewicz
*Indescribable: Encountering the Glory of God in the Beauty of the
Universe, Matt Redman & Louis Giglio (David C. Cook, 2011)
12Christ the Hiding Place
The birds have their nests and the foxes
their holes. But you were homeless,
Lord Jesus, with nowhere to rest your
head.
And yet you were a hiding-place where
the sinner could flee.
Today you are still such a hiding-place,
and I flee to you.
I hide myself under your wings, and your
wings cover the multitude of my sins.
Soren Kierkegaard (1813 – 1855)
Thank you to Sandi O’Donnell for another
striking cover image: a fox in the snow
Regular giving through one of the available schemes is
encouraged as this helps the PCC fund its mission and ministry.
Please consider using the Parish Giving Scheme
www.parishgiving.org.uk This is a direct debit system that
reduces the administrative burden locally but still ensures that all
of your donation, together with any gift aid recoverable, reaches
this parish. The dedicated telephone number is 0333 002 1271. Donors will
need their parish’s PGS Code which is: PGS Parish Code 416012141 The
Parish of Nursling with Rownhams in the Diocese of Winchester.
More information on how to give is available from the Office
and the church website. There is also a link for one-off
donations, look for the donate button on our website.
We are happy to receive foreign currency (notes and coins)
and ‘out of circulation’ UK notes and coins, which we are
able to convert into funds for our churches. They don’t have
to be legal tender now. Periodically we send off ‘our stash’
for conversion. Our most recent batch raised £111.74! So
it’s well worth doing, thank you!
Look out for the ‘Funny Money’ Box in church.
13What’s on in and around your Churches in
As Covid restrictions evolve, we are resuming most of our usual activities,
with modifications to enable wider participation. For services in our church
buildings, we have social distancing and hygiene measures in place and
encourage the wearing of masks unless you have an exemption. Our 10am
services (unless outdoors) are also streamed online via YouTube and can be
found on the website www.twinspires.org.uk. Follow the links by expanding
the + sign on the relevant day. Please see the news sheet and website for
details and variations.
Sunday 2nd January – Second Sunday of Christmas
10am Twinspires@10Together in St John’s Church
11am Morning Prayer in St Boniface Church
Sunday 9th January – Baptism of Christ/1st Sunday of Epiphany
also livestreamed via YouTube. Visit www.twinspires.org.uk for the link.
10am Holy Communion in St John’s Church
11am Morning Service in St Boniface Church
6.30pm Evening Service in St John’s Church
Sunday 16th January – 2nd Sunday of Epiphany
10am Morning Service in St John’s Church.
also livestreamed via YouTube. Visit www.twinspires.org.uk for the link.
11am Holy Communion in St Boniface Church
6.30pm Evening Service in St John’s Church
Sunday 23rd January – 3rd Sunday of Epiphany
10am Morning Service in St John’s Church.
also livestreamed via YouTube. Visit www.twinspires.org.uk for the link.
11am Morning Prayer in St Boniface Church
6.30pm Evening Service in St John’s Church
Sunday 30th January – 4th Sunday of Epiphany
10am Morning Service in St John’s Church.
also livestreamed via YouTube. Visit www.twinspires.org.uk for the link.
11am Morning Prayer in St Boniface Church
6.30pm Evening Service in St John’s Church
14What’s on During the Week
All the links can be found on the website:www.twinspires.org.uk.
Follow the links by expanding the + sign on the relevant day.
Weekdays – Morning Prayer streamed on Zoom or Facebook.
Via Zoom at 9.30am on Mondays and Tuesdays
Via Zoom at 9am on Wednesdays (open prayer) and Fridays
Visit www.twinspires.org.uk for the Morning Prayer Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 112 879 792 Password: 107871
Via Facebook at 10am on Thursdays:
https://www.facebook.com/NurslingAndRownhams/live/
Mondays 7-8.15pm, MORE for ages 11-16.
Contact the youth team: youth@twinspires.org.uk
Tuesdays 7.30pm, Alpha Course on Zoom
Alpha Course Link Meeting ID: 112 879 792 Password: 107871
New course starts 11th January 2022
Wednesdays 7.30pm, Virtual Bible Study group
Homegroup Zoom Link Meeting ID: 215 349 094 Password: 302380
Thursdays 8-9pm, CONNECT! - for young adults.
CONNECT Zoom Link Meeting ID: 856 7336 4283 Password: 606207
Thursday 20th January 10am - midday - Coffee Break. See page 16
(usually the first, as well as the third, Thursday each month, except January)
Fridays 9.30am-2.30pm Recreational walk
Meet in St John’s Church car park, 5 miles,
bring a packed lunch and mid-morning snack/coffee
Saturday 8th January 9.30am – Virtual Vestry Vigil
(usually the first Saturday of each month)
Vestry Vigil Link (same as Morning Prayer Zoom link)
Meeting ID: 112 879 792 Password: 107871
Saturday 8th January 10.30-11.30am – Litter pick. See page 10
(usually the second Saturday of each month).
Meet at the lower junction of Nutshalling Avenue & Horns Drove.
15Dates for Your Diary
Contributions for Next Month’s Twin Spires Magazine
by 6 pm, Sunday 9th January 2022
Please remember to send us your favourite Bible Verses too!
Preferably by email to twinspiresnews@live.co.uk or,
alternatively, to: Mary Carter, 12 Horsebridge Way (paper copy).
Please check you receive an acknowledgement of your email.
It has been so wonderful to welcome back old friends and to welcome so
many new friends to Coffee Break. We meet each month in the Community
Centre in Horns Drove. Usually, we meet on the first and third Thursdays
of each month, with the exception of January, when we only meet on the
third Thursday: 20th
It's a friendly gathering, a chance to meet for coffee, cake and a chat, time
for carers, or those they care for, to take a break. We continue to move
forward with caution, so in order to protect the more vulnerable, we would
recommend that, for now, masks are worn.
This month we meet on Thursday January 20th between 10am and midday.
Wishing you a very from the Coffee Break Team
(If you are in need of a lift, please contact Glennis on 023 80 736173).
Fresh Casseroles for
nappies the week
Wine
After the Three Wise
Men left, the Three
Wiser Women arrived.
1617
Where did the Wise Men Come From?
Magi from the East – it isn’t a lot to go on. The Magi had originally been a
religious caste among the Persians. Their devotion to astrology, divination and
the interpretation of dreams led to an extension in the meaning of the word, and
by the first century the Magi in Matthew’s gospel could have been astrologers
from outside of Persia. Some scholars believe they might have come from what
was then Arabia Felix, or as we would say today, southern Arabia.
It is true that in the first century astrology was practised there, and it was the
region where the Queen of Sheba had lived. She of course had visited
Solomon and would have heard the prophecies about how one day a Messiah
would be born to the Israelites and become their king.
Matthew’s gospel (chapter 2) is clear that the Magi asked Herod: ‘Where is the
One who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have
come to worship Him.’ So it is possible that in southern Arabia the Queen of
Sheba’s story of how a Messiah would one day be sent to the Israelites had
survived. Certainly, there are a number of other early legends that connect
southern Arabia with Solomon’s Israel.
To many people this makes sense: that the ancient stories of a Messiah, linked to
later astrological study, prompted these alert and god-fearing men to the realisation
that something very stupendous was happening in Israel. They realised that after all
these centuries, the King of the Jews, the Messiah, was about to be born.
One more interesting thing that gives weight to the theory that the Magi came
from southern Arabia is this: if you study any map of Palestine as it was
during biblical times, you will find that the old Arabian caravan routes all
entered Palestine ‘from the East’.
Magi Queen
East Sheba
Religious Messiah
Caste Solomon
Astrology Herod
Divination King
Dreams Star
Scholars Worship
Southern Palestine
Arabia Caravan
1819
Kimbilio School a Great Success!
Over 150 children who wouldn't otherwise have had
the opportunity of education are now attending the
Kimbilio Primary School.
They are eager to take up the chances of learning new IT skills, playing
sports and for some of them, simply the chance to read and write for the
first time! We are thrilled to see their enthusiasm and energy! Thank you so
much to all of you who have helped make this happen!
Kimbilio is establishing a Link School programme for schools keen to
establish a connection with the Kimbilio Primary School.
Email linkschool@congochildrentrust.org if you'd like to know more.
Ian Harvey, Congo Children Trust
The church buildings are not open during the week. However, we hope to
have the office staffed for a couple of hours each weekday morning and to
offer access to our mini-recycling centre. We can recycle the following
items if they are brought to St John’s Church:
• Plastic milk bottle tops (clean, not foil)
• Inkjet cartridges (not laser cartridges)
• Used postage stamps, ideally with a 1cm margin.
Freecycling! Unloved Christmas Gifts? Now that our church
buildings are partially open again, don’t forget we have a board
(next to the sound desk in St John’s Church) where you can offer
items you no longer need, and also look for items you may want.
No money is involved: this is purely an enviro/social service. Also, if you have
an item you would like to offer to our church family, you are welcome to send
the details to us to include in the magazine: twinspiresnews@live.co.uk.
20Twin Spires News
Welcome to Twin Spires News for another year. After a difficult 2 years,
we hope that things are beginning to return to normal, or are at least
approaching a ‘new normal’ as far as the magazine is concerned.
Since the beginning of 2020, much has changed.
We have been through a period of publishing
online only, and now we publish both on the
website www.twinspires.org.uk and in print. Those
who wish to receive regular copies but are happy to
read it on their screen can receive it by email.
Electronic editions have the advantage of being in
colour so, if you are able, do look at us online as
well, even if you receive a printed copy. As well as
being in full colour, any links will also be clickable
which makes life that little bit easier.
The production team of the magazine has changed slightly. Dorothy Cross
has retired from Freds (so instead of four eds, we are now three eds:
Threds), but she has joined the proofreading team. We have also
welcomed Bryce and Yvonne Richardson as our ‘finishing team’ who
fold, staple and bundle the magazine – a job previously done by church
manners. We are now blessed to have our very own talented ‘artist in
residence’, Sandi O’Donnell, designing our artistic cover images. The band
of distributors has changed slightly too. We will miss Jean Wylde from so
many things – did you know that Jean was also a magazine distributor?
Annual Subscriptions of £6 are now due. This price has not increased, owing
in part to our advertisers. Please support them and inform them that you have
seen their advert here. You can help us to keep the subscription level down by:
1. Encouraging your friends and neighbours to subscribe. The larger
the circulation, the cheaper each magazine becomes to produce.
2. Paying your subscription early in the year.
3. Paying for your magazine annually – it helps us to budget, and
saves you the price of 2 magazines per year.
Please pay for your magazines early in the new year, either directly to your
distributor or in the boxes in either church if you take copies (cost still 60p
in 2022!). Prompt payment helps enormously. Church visitors and new
readers please enjoy one free copy!
Threds – aka Mary Carter, Caroline Moody, Marion Swinerd
21Have Twin Spires News Delivered to Your Door
If you are a new reader and would like Twin Spires News delivered to you each
month, please complete the slip below and return it to the Parish Office (see
inside front cover for contact details). or hand it to a steward who welcomes you
to church. Alternatively, you can email the details to office@twinspires.org.uk.
A huge thank you to all who support us each month with editorial
content and those who help us to compile, proofread, print and distribute
our church family monthly magazine. Our current distributors are:
Lynette Allen Dorothy Cross Angela Jones Claire Thompson
Sheila Bulpit Gill Dingwall Ann Laird Pam Trigg
Maria Bunce Glennis Gould Randell McKay Kay Watts
Mary Carter Avril Hack Raylene Rose Sharon Wills
Jane Coomer Judith Hall Marion Swinerd
If Twin Spires News is usually delivered to you, you can help by taking your
subscription to the distributor’s house. Just complete the slip below, so they
know who has paid, and put it with £6 in an envelope. Please take it as soon
as possible. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Nursling and Rownhams
PCC’. There are a number of other methods you can use to donate to church
funds (see page 13), including a ---DONATE--- button on the church website,
which offers a very simple option for any one-off on-line gifts. Do please let
your distributor or the office know if you have paid in this way.
We cannot place many Complimentary Copies in all the usual local places
but hope to do so again soon. If you have a suggestion of where we should
place them then please let the Parish Office know. If you received one, we
would be delighted to hear from you – where you were given it, what you
thought of it etc. If you no longer wish to receive the magazine please
inform the Parish Office, or your distributor. Threds
Your magazine is delivered to you by: (Name)
Distributor’s Address
Please return this slip to the above person.
I enclose my subscription of £6 (cheques payable to ‘Nursling and Rownhams PCC’)
for ‘Twin Spires News’ to be delivered to me each month during 2022 (delete if
you wish to collect from Church).
Your Name:
Your Address:
22Advent Rings
Despite the worst that storm Arwen
could throw at us, a small group of us
met in St John’s Church to construct
the Advent ring. It was lovely to be
able to come together for this - and
Kathryn and Lois worked wonders
under Chris Bird's usual expert tuition.
The rest of us were busy snipping off
the tips of the evergreens so they were
ready for use. The photo does reveal
some of our ‘tricks of the trade’ in the
construction process.
Thanks to all those involved in
making the Advent rings that adorn
both our beautiful church buildings. I,
for one, really enjoy this visual way of
watching the Advent season unfold. Mary Carter
‘Feel-good’ Shopping Online to Help the Parish
If you’re shopping online, the www.smile.amazon.co.uk site provides all
the same products, service and cost, but Amazon donates .0.5% of the net
purchase price (excluding VAT, returns and
shipping fees) of eligible purchases to a charitable
organisation of your choice.
We are registered as: The Ecclesiastical Parish of Nursling with Rownhams.
The PCC is also registered with
EasyFundRaising, where the retailer will make a
donation to a registered charity at no additional
cost to the person doing the buying. Please consider nominating our
churches when you shop online. Lots of different retailers are registered and
will donate up to 2.5% of the value of your online shopping.
We are registered as: Nursling and Rownhams PCC.
A total of £155.02 has been raised (as at 7th December).
Thank you to everyone who has helped.
https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/nurslingandrownhamspcc/payments/63/
23From the Registers
Baptisms “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5)
21 Nov Charlie and Reuben Jones St John’s
21 Nov John Winner St John’s
Funerals “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those
who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15:20)
8 Dec Winifred Ashton (100) Southampton Crematorium
9 Dec Victor Frank Foot (94) St Boniface
13 Dec Jean Wylde (77) St John’s
15 Dec Betty Doreen Day (89) St Boniface
Prayer of the Month
New Year Prayer 2022
Lord of all creation,
Lord of all the years,
Thank you for steering us through the fragmented landscape of two
pandemic-riddled years. Here we stand at the beginning of a new year, not
knowing what lies ahead. Our only security lies in you, Lord.
Please take our hands and guide us, day by day, into January and beyond.
We will not be afraid, Lord, because you have promised never to leave us,
never to forsake us. And you keep your promises. We are safe.
2022, here we come… expectantly,
In Jesus’ name, Amen Daphne Kitching
PCC Legacy Policy Nursling and Rownhams PCC welcomes gifts in wills,
however large or small. We will use such gifts to make a difference to the
work of the church (eg by funding development projects in the parish,
whether buildings, equipment or staff). We will consult with the executors
to identify the sorts of projects the donor would have liked
24Suggestions for your Prayers
Pray for our government and governments around the world as
they continue to work out the best way to manage the pandemic.
Pray for scientists too and for the distribution of vaccines
worldwide. Pray that God would help us to bring an end to the pandemic.
Pray for all the people who heard the gospel at Christmas. Pray that over
the coming year many will respond to the gospel and receive the promise
of total forgiveness and complete freedom through Christ alone. May
people’s New Year resolutions lead them to ask for God’s help. Pray
especially for the new Alpha group this month.
Pray for all our families with young children, life can be really tough with
small children, especially when they are ill, and many families don’t have
the support of grandparents nearby. Pray that they would have people to
encourage and support them.
Pray for all our church leaders and their families, that they would know
God’s protection on all areas of their lives. Pray that each of us in our
church fellowship will grow closer to Jesus this year, that he will become
more and more real to us and that we will be able to be good witnesses to
him. Pray for strength for Graeme that he would be able to see God’s
priorities for him and us together as a fellowship; so that we can reach out
to our community.
Pray for Christians in the workplace, as they relate to their colleagues,
and fulfil their responsibilities, that they will have the strength to be good
witnesses to Jesus and to demonstrate his grace, faithfulness and integrity.
Help them to know God’s peace in their busyness and stress.
Pray for the work of the Church Urban Fund (CUF) which works through
local parish churches to help them bring about positive long-term and
sustainable change in their neighbourhoods. Pray that the CUF will be
able to empower local people to address the areas of greatest need in their
communities and that they will be heard as they speak out against
injustice.
Pray for the A Rocha Wolf Fields project. Give thanks for their new
partners and their committed volunteers. Pray for protection for the staff
and volunteers and for wisdom as they look ahead and plan for next
year’s project activities.
25ROMSEY CAR BODY REPAIRS
UNBEATABLE QUALITY, VALUE & SERVICE
Courtesy cars to keep you on the road
www.romseycarbodyrepairs.co.uk
Services also include:
* Alloy Wheel Refurbishment * Smart Repairs
* Headlight Refurbishment * Insurance Estimates
* Courtesy Cars available
ROMSEY GARAGE SERVICES
AT VEHICLE SOLUTIONS
Servicing Aircon Trade
from Re-Gas Labour
£99 £49.99 Rates
Services include but are not limited to:
* Servicing * Clutch Replacement
* Diagnostics * MOT Repairs and Tests Arranged
* Tyre Replacement * Airbag & Engine Management Resets
www.romseycarbodyrepairs.co.uk
BUILT ON REPUTATION & QUALITY
ESTABLISHED SINCE 2000
Vehicle Solutions, Budds Lane, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 0HA
Telephone: 01794 511999
More than just The Samaritans
a bookshop always available,
Books, Bibles, Wholefoods, Cards, Music, Craft, always confidential
Children’s Area, Scout & Guide Uniform
Call National – 116 123 (free)
25 Church Street Romsey SO51 8BT www.samaritans.org/
01794 512194 shop@oasisromsey.co.uk
oasisromsey.co.uk Visits between 10am & 10 pm
uk.bookshop.org/shop/oasisromsey 11 College Place, London Rd,
Southampton, SO15 2FE
26Do you have the right Will?
Contact us for a Free Consultation
Wills and Powers of Attorney
No obligation initial meeting
At your convenience:
Daytime, Evenings or
Weekends
Private Will Services LLP
www.pwsllp.co.uk
Contact Us Now
02380 070169
Grahame E. Jones 90 Chalvington Road
Plumbing & Heating Chandlers Ford Gas Safety
SO53 3EH Register
Tel: (023) 8025 1866 Number 20430
mob: 07860 473207 email: gej61@hotmail.co.uk
I install and repair:- Central Heating. Radiators. Bathroom Suites. Vanity Basins.
Guttering. Lead Work. Blocked Drains. Burst Pipes. Dripping Taps.
Do you know where your stopcock is? Is your roof tank lagged?
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CASSIDY PIANOS – TUNING & REPAIRS
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C.G.L.I. A.E.W.V.H A.B.P.T. Member
• Modern Pianos Bought & Sold • Viewing by Appointment Please
• After-Sales Tuning & Servicing • Piano Stools & Other Accessories
Supplied to Order
(023) 80783009 Mobile 07976 810094
E-Mail shaun.cassidy93@ntlworld.com
9 Clifton Road, Shirley, Southampton
27Mike Darby, BDS
Dental Practice
We are a well established family practice giving
our patients excellent dental care at an affordable
price.
We offer treatment on a ‘pay as you go’ basis or
on our dental plan starting from £8.75 per month.
Please visit our website for further information or
call us for a practice leaflet.
Tel: 02380 702007
Veriam Dental Practice, Dolton Road, Maybush, SO15 5DT
www.veriamdental.co.uk
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