1. Art and Diseño

South Shoebury
Parish Magazine
St Andrew’s with St Peter’s
Loving God and our Neighbours in South Shoebury
February 2015
Price 25p (£2.50 per annum)
WELCOME
ON SUNDAY
AT ST ANDREW’S
8.00am
9.30am
Holy Communion (1662)
Morning Worship (Family Service 1st Sunday)
(Holy Communion 4th Sunday)
6.00pm Evening Prayer
1st Sunday
Holy Communion 3rd Sunday
9.00 am Morning Prayer
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday
AT ST PETER’S
11.00am Morning Worship (Holy Communion 2nd & 4th Sunday)
4.00 – 5.00pm Messy Church Every Third Sunday (except August)
9.30 am Morning Prayer (Wednesday)
9.00 am Morning Prayer (Friday)
ON WEDNESDAY
AT ST ANDREW’S
10am Holy Communion (followed by coffee in the Hall)
AT ST PETER’S
10.00am Coffee Morning
12.15pm Ploughman’s Lunch (4th Wednesday)
Rector: Rev. Louise Williams, The Rectory, Church Road (292778)
Student Minister: Tracey Harvey (07546 464175)
Licensed Lay Minister: Mr Andy Clipsham, 17 High Street
(294516)
Reader Emeritus: Mrs Betty Owen, 81 High Street (292511)
Churchwardens:
Mrs Mary Fane: 19 Wakering Avenue, Shoeburyness, (296393
Mr. Keith Barham, 53 Broadclyst Gardens, Thorpe Bay (584546)
Website: http://www.southshoebury.org/
THE YALTA CONFERENCE: AN UNLIKELY GROUP OF MEN
In February 1945, with Germany facing defeat on two fronts - in
the north, from the Red Army, and in the south by the advancing
Allies - the leaders of the three great powers met at Yalta, in the
Crimea. They were an ill-assorted group of men by any
standards. There was the physically frail but intellectually
composed US President, Franklin D Roosevelt; the aristocratic
and eloquent British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill; and the
tyrannical chairman of the Supreme Soviet, Joseph Stalin. Their
agenda was to consider the re-organisation of Europe after the
war.
As we have seen, the Allies of the Great War had got this matter
of the post-war settlement wrong, and the consequence was
World War Two a bare 20 years later. Messrs. Roosevelt,
Churchill and Stalin did rather better - the intervening 70 years
have seen no military conflicts between the major nations of
Europe. For half of that time, however, Europe endured a ‘Cold
War’ of frightening intensity at times. The seeds of that Cold War
were sown in decisions made at Yalta .
Their meeting saw some hard bargaining. As a result, the
demilitarisation of Germany was agreed, as was its division into
four zones each to be under the control of one of the victorious
powers, the Soviet Union, the USA, the UK and France (the last a
hard-earned concession by Stalin) In fact the Allied zones soon
merged to form what came to be known as West Germany, which
fairly rapidly achieved economic prosperity. In contrast, the
Russian zone, East Germany, suffered under an imposed
Communist regime and economic poverty.
The line between the zones, East and West, tended to extend
beyond the borders of Germany, as the countries of Eastern
Europe came under the sway of their powerful neighbour, the
Soviet Union. In Winston Churchill’s vivid phrase, an ‘Iron
Curtain’ descended across Europe, and remained in place until
the eventual break-up of the old USSR and the emergence of the
newly independent states of the region. Germany was reunited,
to become a major power in the world. Stalin promised at Yalta
that there would be democratic elections in Poland. There were,
but not until the break-up of the Soviet empire and the gradual
melting of the iron curtain.
So, like most human enterprises, Yalta was both good and bad. It
was better than Versailles, but inevitably flawed by the conflicting
interests of the nations taking part. Yet perhaps the seeds of our
present-day democratic Europe were sown at Yalta, by that
unlikely group of men, 70 years ago this month.
By Canon David Winter
ST VALENTINE’S DAY
There are two confusing things about this day of romance and
anonymous love-cards strewn with lace, cupids and ribbon: firstly,
there seems to have been two different Valentines in the 4th
century - one a priest martyred on the Flaminian Way, under the
emperor Claudius, the other a bishop of Terni martyred at Rome.
And neither seems to have had any clear connection with lovers or
courting couples.
So why has Valentine become the patron saint of romantic love?
By Chaucer’s time the link was assumed to be because on these
saints’ day -14 February - the birds are supposed to pair. Or
perhaps the custom of seeking a partner on St Valentine’s Day is a
surviving scrap of the old Roman Lupercalia festival, which took
place in the middle of February. One of the Roman gods honoured
during this Festival was Pan, the god of nature. Another was
Juno, the goddess of women and marriage. During the Lupercalia
it was a popular custom for young men to draw the name of a
young unmarried woman from a name-box. The two would then
be partners or ‘sweethearts’ during the time of the celebrations.
Even modern Valentine decorations bear an ancient symbol of love
- Roman cupids with their bows and love-arrows.
There are no churches in England dedicated to Valentine, but
since 1835 his relics have been claimed by the Carmelite church in
Dublin.
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THOSE WERE THE DAYS! - Contributed by David Harvey
POETRY CORNER
The Day the Sun Stood Still
Joshua prayed as entrenched in
battle,
He called on his God to come
to his aid
For the sun to stand still and
the moon
to rest,
And as God responded the sun
was stayed.
The battle was waged and the enemy
routed,
The night held back making
victory theirs,
For God had extended his mighty
arm
As the day was lengthened in
answer to prayer.
Another battle had yet to be fought,
No sun just darkness covered the
land,
A cross was erected, a Man nailed
upon it,
Jesus our Saviour dying for man.
He came as the Light stepping into
our darkness,
Spreading hope where once there
was none
Forgiveness, salvation is ours,
will we take it?
This wonderful gift bestowed by
God’s Son.
By Megan Carter
Many East Enders also believed in the health giving properties of Canvey
Island!
Traffic Lights
It fills me with dread
It makes me irate
That lights are all red
When I’m running late!
But when I’m on time
(You’ll know what I mean)
The journey is fine!
The lights are all green!
By Nigel Beeton
ST PETER’S PAGE
Here we are again at the start of another New Year, where does
the time go!
A great big thank you goes to Doreen Penlington for making
hand-made cards and selling them at our Ploughman's lunches.
She had presented the sum of £150. towards our Funds. Well
done Doreen and she will continue to sell her cards at our
Ploughman’s. I would say that I am not now continuing with
the Webb Ivory Catalogue but I do have one if anyone wishes
to see it.
Ploughman's lunch for February will be on Wednesday 25th at
the usual time of 12.15p.m. If you are able to make a few
cakes for sale, it would be appreciated.
THE DROVER – AN AUSTRALIAN STORY
A Drover, who just moved to Queensland from Victoria, walks into
a bar and orders three glasses of XXXX.
He sits in the back of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in
turn, when he finishes them he comes back into the bar and
orders three more.
The bartender approaches and tells the Drover, “You know, a
glass goes flat after I draw it. It would taste better if you bought
one at a time.”
The cattleman replies, “Well you see, I have two brothers, one’s in
‘Tassie’, the other one’s a ‘sandgroper’. When we all left our home
in Echuca, we promised that we’d drink this way to remember the
days when we drank together. So I’m drinking one beer for each of
my brothers and one for myself.”
It is hoped that during February we shall receive some new
chairs for the Hall. Most of the current chairs are past their sell
by date (having been purchased when in our old Hall) so have
given us good service.
The bartender admits that this is a nice custom and leaves it
there.
We are desperately short of folks able to clean the Church.
If you feel that you could undertake this particular job, then
please let me know.
One day, he comes in and only orders two mugs. All the regulars
take notice and fall silent. When he comes back to the bar for the
second round the bartender says “I don’t want to intrude on your
grief but I wanted to offer my condolences on your loss.”
Janet Rose.
The drover becomes a regular in the bar and always drinks the
same way. He orders three mugs and drinks them in turn.
The drover looks quite puzzled for a moment. Then a light dawns
in his eyes and he laughs.
“Oh no, everybody’s just fine,” he explains. “It’s just that my wife
and I joined the Salvation Army and I had to quit drinking.”
“Hasn’t affected my brothers though.”
Sudoku solution
Contributed by Ted Lester.
LADIES’ NIGHT OUT
The ladies from the Church had a post-Christmas meal at the Half
Way House Carvery on Friday 16th January. Many thanks to
Sandra Baines and Maureen Pottinger for arranging such an
enjoyable evening.
Editor
PUZZLE CORNER – a medium difficulty Sudoku this month
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Takes place every Sunday at 9.30 am (St Andrew’s) and 11 am
(St Peter’s). On the first Sunday in the month we worship
together in Church. Children of all ages welcome but very little
ones will need to be accompanied by their carers. Bible stories
crafts, activities etc.
ELECTRIC ORGAN
We have had an electric organ in the church hall for a number of
years and it shows no sign of ever being used! We have tried to
sell it on ebay but no one wanted it. It functions but is a fairly
substantial piece of equipment. Would you like it? You will have
to arrange to collect it but it is going to end up as scrap if no one
wants it. Please contact Heather Bush (299065) to see if you can
provide it with a new home.
SOUTHEND HOMELESS CENTRE (HARP)
Following the requests made in church and our December
magazine, we were able to deliver to the York Road Centre 3
large boxes of food and toiletries, two bags of warm clothes, a
bag of Christmas presents, a Christmas cake and mince pies
and £120 towards Christmas dinners for the homeless.
Miscellaneous observations on life…
It's easy finding reasons why other folks should be patient.
These were delivered on Christmas Eve and were very gratefully
received by the Centre who asked that their gratitude should be
passed on to all who contributed to the gifts. So, many thanks to
you all.
It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world end to end,
someone would be stupid enough to try to overtake them.
However, please remember that the needs of the homeless and
those in our community who are struggling do not just occur at
Christmas but unfortunately continue week by week. Therefore,
we would ask you to consider adding one or two extra tins or
packages each time you shop for those in need. Just think of the
difference we could make if we all were to do this.
You can't have everything - where would you put it?
Many thanks,
Families are often like fudge - mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others, whenever they go
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Keith Barham.
On the peculiarities of ordination candidates
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – FEBRUARY
7th February – Bradwell Area Vocations Day – Is God calling
you to a new Ministry? To be held at Christ Church, Warley.
See Louise for details.
18th February – Ash Wednesday services at St Andrew’s
Church.
10 am Holy Communion
8 pm Holy Communion with prayers for healing
AND BEYOND ……
28th March – Quiet Morning at St Andrew’s 9am to 12 noon
Peace, quiet, reflection and prayer
Sunday 4th October at 3 pm
It’s a long way off but we will be having a service of Baptism
and Confirmation at St Andrew’s in October. Would you like to
be baptised and confirmed and start receiving Holy
Communion? Would you like to reaffirm your baptism
promises and mark a new time in your relationship with God?
Do start thinking and praying about it and have a word with
Louise if you are wondering if this applies to you.
Messy Church will meet on 15th February and 22nd March,
4-5pm at St Peter’s. Suitable for children of all ages and their
carers.
The Rectory, St. James the Very Least
My dear Nephew Darren
I was quite happy to see the young person from your church whom
you are encouraging to get ordained – even though we did not
entirely see eye to eye.
When I answered the door to someone dressed in T-shirt, jeans and
trainers, I naturally assumed he was the gardener; it was only after
I had given him the wheelbarrow and shown him where the spades
were, that I found out who he really was. His assurance that this is
how Jesus would dress, were he to visit in person again, jarred
somewhat. I think that a three-piece suit and stout pair of brogues
would be far more likely. We agreed to differ.
I moved on to ask him about the Sunday Services he attended and
was interested to hear that he was a church musician. Wanting to
know if he sang tenor or bass, or even played the organ, he told me
that he was the drummer in the worship band and provided backing
vocals. I felt obliged to comment that I was not sure how that would
fit in with Matins, but he told me that he had never heard of that
Service and only attended Mega Rock Praise. Since I suspected it
would not have been written by Cranmer, we moved on.
I had hoped we may have been on safer ground when I asked him
whether he preferred early perpendicular or Victorian gothic, but as
he had apparently only ever worshipped in your converted cinema,
he was unable to offer any opinion. His reaction to my offer to show
him round our late Norman church, prompted him to tell me that
he believed all churches should be closed and people should gather
in each other’s homes, like the early Christians.
In a last despairing attempt to find common ground I asked him if
he had ever preached. He was slightly apologetic to admit that he
had done so very rarely, as he found it took such a long time to
write an hour-long sermon. When I mentioned that I did not think I
had ever exceeded eight minutes in my entire life, he gave me such
a look of withering astonishment that with heroic Christian charity,
I did not beat him over the head with the Bible he was carrying.
Your loving uncle,
Eustace
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From the Registers
LENT COURSE 2015
Baptisms
Jan 4th Olivia Merton
Jan 18th Karen Wilson
We will be reflecting on the words of the Beatitudes using the Pilgrim
Course material.
Weddings
Dec 22nd Samantha Seaton and Luke Murrell
Funerals
Dec 4th Baby Morgan Eggenton
Jan 5th Janet Massey (70)
Jan 30th Ann Kiggins (76)
Burial of Ashes
Dec 24th John Turner
Commencing on February 23rd, weekly meetings will be on
Mondays at 8pm in St Andrew’s Parlour
Tuesdays at 10am St Andrew’s Parlour
Tuesdays at 8pm venue to be confirmed, please contact Mary for
details 296393
Wednesdays at 8pm venue to be confirmed, please contact Tracey
for details 07546 464175
Each session will be repeated 4 times so, if you can’t attend your
regular venue and time, feel free to turn up at one of the others!
For those who are able to make a contribution, the course booklet
costs £5
Please let Louise know as soon as possible if you would like to
attend so we can order the books (292778)
ANNIVERSARIES THIS MONTH
100 years ago, on 1st Feb 1915 Sir Stanley Matthews was born.
He was one of the greatest British football players of all time, and
the first British player to be knighted.
80 years ago, on 26th Feb 1935 British radio engineer Robert
Watson-Watt demonstrated a working radar system for the first
time, in Daventry, UK.
65 years ago, on 8th Feb 1950 the first-ever payment by credit
card took place when the Diners Club paid their restaurant bill at
Major’s Cabin Grill in New York.
30 years ago, on 19th Feb 1985 the first episode of the BBC TV
soap opera EastEnders was broadcast in the UK.
25 years ago, on 11th Feb 1990 Nelson Mandela was released from
prison after 27 years. He became President of South Africa in
1994.
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STUDENT PLACEMENT
We are delighted to welcome Mrs Sue Wise to our parish for the next
3 months. Sue is currently training at St Mellitus College and will be
ordained Deacon this summer. She is currently a Licensed Lay
Minister serving in Rochford. Whilst with us Sue will simply be
observing and participating in what we do as a parish. Do, please,
pray for Sue as she joins us and make her very welcome.
YOUNG PEOPLE’S GROUP
As a parish we currently have all sorts of activities for younger
children but the older ones are missing out a bit. Amy Hughes has
kindly offered to organise some evening activities for young people
year 6 and upwards. This is likely to take place on a Friday evening
from about 6pm-7.30pm. The evenings will consist of games, craft,
food and specific Christian content. If you know of any young people
who might be interested, please contact Amy on 07837786796. If the
young person you know is interested but isn’t free on Fridays, do
still contact Amy as it is so helpful to know who may like to come.
We will need helpers in this venture. Our normal safeguarding policy
applies and you will need to have a DBS check and to have
worshipped in one of our churches for at least the past 6 months.
Please contact Amy or Louise (292778) if you feel this is something
you would like to be involved in.
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strange word for us now but it is about going wrong and our fatal
propensity for making the wrong choices and sinning. So the
prayer encourages us to ask our loving heavenly Father to forgive
us. But there is a challenging twist in this. Because we, in turn,
are to forgive others to show we understand how much God has
forgiven us… and most of us would prefer not to do that! It’s hard,
it doesn’t seem right and some turn back at this point in their
Christian journey. Let me encourage you to keep going. Forgiving
others is hard and God knows it’s hard. Jesus experienced hatred,
abuse, violence and crucifixion. And still he prayed ‘Father, forgive
them.’ God knows it’s hard but he can only help us if we ask him.
In my experience forgiving others is neither quick nor easy. But,
assuming that God loves us then when he tells us to forgive he is
doing so because that will be better for us… I don’t believe he is
just trying to make life hard! Do feel you can come and have a chat
if you feel stuck with unforgiveness … sometimes that can help.
It is estimated that the Lord’s Prayer is being said by someone
every moment of every day, somewhere in the world. Isn’t that an
amazing thought?! There are Christians all over the world using
this prayer in their own language. And the next part of the prayer
asks to be kept from the time of trial and safe from evil. One of the
reasons the prayer works for us is that it is so real. There is
temptation…we do fall into ways of living, speaking and acting that
are just wrong. We ask God to help us avoid them. And we also ask
to be delivered from evil – persecution, violence, abuse,
victimisation – we are asking God to keep us safe within it. The
Lord’s Prayer isn’t a lucky charm to stop grim things happening
but it is an act of faith asking that, amidst the darkness and evil of
the world, we will remain safe in God’s love and care, come what
may.
The prayer ends with a burst of praise. We began with our
heavenly Father and we end with his eternal power and glory.
Jesus taught this prayer because his disciples asked him to help
them. It is both a prayer in its own right and a pattern for our
prayers. The early church used the prayer 3 times every day. How
often do you and I use it? I wonder, too, if we are making sure our
children and grandchildren know the prayer for themselves.
Remember what a precious resource it has been in your life…what
can we do to ensure that those around us get the chance to pray
this wonderful prayer for themselves?
With Love
Louise
PARISH PEOPLE
Clergy
Rector
Revd. Louise Williams, The Rectory, Church Road
292778
PCC Officer
Churchwardens
Mrs Mary Fane
19 Wakering Avenue, Shoeburyness
Keith Barham
53 Broadclyst Gardens, Thorpe Bay
PCC Secretary
Julie Hardy
PCC Treasurer
Jeremy Shallis
29, Clieveden Road, Thorpe Bay
Parish
Licensed Lay Minister
Andy Clipsham
17, High Street, Shoeburyness
Electoral Roll
Maureen Pottinger 26 Kingfisher Close, Shoeburyness
Gift Aid Secretary
Brian Slater
112 Lord Roberts Avenue, Leigh-on-Sea
Prayer Chain
Jean Marsh
8, Wakering Avenue, Shoeburyness
Magazine Editor
June Slater
112 Lord Roberts Avenue, Leigh-on-Sea
Magazine Distribution
Geoff Price
11, Pentland Avenue, Shoeburyness
Newsletter
Brian Slater
112 Lord Roberts Avenue, Leigh-on-Sea
Child protection and Safeguarding Officer
Heather Bush
122 Ness Road, Shoeburyness
296393
584546
585948
294516
301207
719862
292101
719862
296249
719862
299065
St Andrew’s
Bible reading notes
Anita Barham
53, Broadclyst Gardens, Thorpe Bay
Churchyard Enquiries
Keith Barham
53 Broadclyst Gardens, Thorpe Bay
Parish Hall
Heather Bush
122, Ness Road, Shoeburyness
St Peter’s
Bible Reading Notes
Jean Marsh
8, Wakering Avenue, Shoeburyness
15
584546
584546
299065
292101
PARISH PEOPLE (CONT.)
St Peter’s Church Hall
Janet Rose, 85 Gunners Road, Shoeburyness
292750
Uniformed Groups
Scouts – 3rd Shoebury (St Andrew’s)
GSL Ernie Collins 24 Friar Street, Shoeburyness
Scouts, Cubs & Beavers (St Peter’s)
Peter Brady, 60 Hogarth Drive, Shoeburyness
Rainbows & Brownies (St Andrew’s)
Helena Hawkyard 74, Tudor Gardens, Shoeburyness
Rainbows (St Peter’s)
Monica Vanderloo 66, Vermeer Crescent, Shoeburyness
Other Groups
Little Buffalo’s Pre-school – St Peter’s Hall
Becky Merton
Toddler Group
Tracey Harvey
295398
322747
292122
294084
290744
07980 167458
07546464175
Shoebury Village Women’s Institute – St Peter’s Hall
Mrs T Winnard
294117
Hall Diaries
St Andrew’s
Rainbows
Brownies
Beavers, Cubs & Scouts
Coffee afternoon
St Peter’s
Little Buffaloes Pre-school
Zumba Class
Beavers
Cubs
Toddler Group
Women’s Institute
Rainbows
Scouts
Coffee Morning
Ploughman’s Lunch
16
Tuesday 5:00pm
Tuesday 6:15pm
Wednesday 5.00 – 8.00 pm
Tuesday 2-4 pm (2nd Tuesdays
Stepping Stones Bereavement care
Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri AM
Monday 7:30 pm - 8.30 pm
Tuesday 5.15 - 6.30pm
Tuesday 6.45 – 8.15 pm
Tuesdays 1.30-3.30 pm in term time
3rd Wednesday 2.00 pm – 4.00pm
Wednesday 5.00 pm – 6.15 pm
Wednesday 7.30 – 9 pm
Wednesday 10am – Noon
4th Wednesday 12.15 pm
Dear Friends,
Do you remember the first time you prayed the Lord’s Prayer? We
were talking about this in a study group recently and we all
remembered learning this wonderful prayer when we were children.
Even those who had lapsed from their childhood faith were able to
get hold of the memory of the Lord’s Prayer when they needed to
pray. It’s one of the reasons we use that particular prayer so often
and why I choose to use the traditional form in public worship. It’s
the one embedded in our minds and hearts from childhood.
The Lord’s Prayer gathers together so much that we celebrate as
Christians. Addressed to our Father in heaven we lift our eyes
upwards to the God of the universe. When life seems overwhelming
we gaze on the creator and Lord and recognise our privilege to say
‘our’ Father. We are reminded we can approach God with confidence
resting in his love and kindness. We pray that his name may be
hallowed, kept special; the prayer reminds us to think about our
lives…do they match up to the love and decency God asks of us?
For those who have entrusted the their life to God it is simple to say
‘Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.’ We
know God’s love and trust him with all that we have been, all that
we are and all that will ever be. It’s a statement of faith that isn’t
easy. My experience is that the more we trust God, the more we
recognise his loving presence and guidance…but it takes practice!
The Lord’s Prayer continues by asking for the most simple thing we
ever need…our daily bread. When Jesus taught this prayer to his
disciples it was to people who may well have wondered where each
day’s food would come from. This line in the Lord’s Prayer is about
our dependence on God for all that we need. It’s about trust and
hope and encourages us to talk to God about the things we need.
And while we are on the subject of asking God for what we need, we
ask for his forgiveness. ‘Forgive us our trespasses’, which is a
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PTO