THE PARISH OF LITTLE ST MARY’S CAMBRIDGE

IN THE DIOCESE OF ELY

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE PAROCHIAL

CHURCH COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2017

Background

The Parochial Church Council (“the PCC”) of Little St Mary’s (‘LSM’) has its responsibilities

to the Church vested in it by law. These include responsibilities relating to the financial affairs

of the Parish, the care, maintenance and preservation of the fabric of the church and the

churchyard and to the protection by the Parish of the whole mission of the Church: pastoral,

evangelistic, social and ecumenical.

The correspondence address is the Parish Church of St Mary-the-Less, Trumpington Street,

Cambridge CB2 2QG. Tel. (01223) 366202. Registered Charity No. 1130017.

Membership

The membership of the Parochial Church Council is governed by the Church Representation

Rules, certain members sitting on the Council ex officio and others being elected at the Annual

Parochial Church Meeting (APCM).

Fr Robert Michael Mackley, vicar

(Rural Dean, Cambridge South Deanery)

Fr Gregory Lipovsky, assistant curate From July 2017

Fr Mark Andrew Bishop, associate priest

Fr Maxwell James Kramer – resigned 2017

Churchwardens: Patricia Elizabeth Davies From May 2013

(PCC Lay Chair from May 2014)

Janet Eileen Nevitt From May 2014

Member of General Synod: Richard Gareth Llewelyn Morgan (2017-20)

(Lay Chair, Cambridge South Deanery)

Members of Diocesan Synod: Sheila Winifred Bennett (2015-18)

Shirley Christine Dex (2015-18)

Richard Gareth Llewelyn Morgan (2015-18)

Josephine Mary Wibberley (2015-18)

Members of Deanery Synod: Robert Shaw De Wolf (2017-20)

(Cambridge South) Lucy Rosamond McKitterick (2017-20)

(Hon Secretary, Cambridge South Deanery)

Jon Sanders (2017-20)

Elected Members: Date elected: Term expiring:

Fiona Blake APCM 2015 for 3 years Until APCM 2018

Christine Shirley Tipple APCM 2015 for 3 years Until APCM 2018

Ann Auger APCM 2016 for 3 years Until APCM 2019

Patricia Boulhosa APCM 2016 for 3 years Until APCM 2019

Anthony Clive Gordon Brown APCM 2016 for 3 years Until APCM 2019

Stuart Camile Jenkinson APCM 2016 for 3 years Until APCM 2019

Mary Janet Ward APCM 2016 for 3 years Until APCM 2019

William Victor De Quick APCM 2017 for 3 years Until APCM 2020

Ruth Elizabeth Jackson APCM 2017 for 3 years Until APCM 2020

Heidi-Louise Thomas McGann APCM 2017 for 3 years Until APCM 2020

Helen Thompson APCM 2017 for 3 years Until APCM 2020

Alexander Whiscombe APCM 2017 for 3 years Until APCM 2020

Richard Martin APCM 2017 for 1 year – co-opted Until APCM 2018

Deputy Churchwarden elected by the PCC: Josephine Mary Wibberley

Committees

The PCC operates in the main through full meetings of its members. As required by law there

is a Standing Committee which meets regularly in order to transact the business of the PCC,

subject to any direction given by the Council. Formal committees have been constituted to

direct and administer particular interests of the Council as follows:

LSM’s missionary work at home and abroad

Management of an annual Christian Giving Review

Social Responsibility

Administration of the Music Fund

The Friends’ of Little St Mary’s

Welcome Committee

Social events

Building and Maintenance

In addition, informal groups have been set up to:

represent work with children at LSM

organise the Summer Festival

maintain the churchyard garden

reflect on LSM’s work with the homeless and in particular the church’s

participation in the Cambridge Churches Homeless Project

ensure that health and safety standards are met in the kitchen

and Parish Centre, particularly with regard to lettings

facilitate payment of bills etc. during quinquennial building work

Two members of the congregation represent the parish on Churches Together in the centre of

Cambridge.

Church Electoral Roll: Susan Coote

206 members, 11 of whom reside in the parish. 8 names have been added, 10 names removed

(3 deaths, 1 ordination, and 6 people moved away or left). A net decrease of 2.

Review of the Year

The PCC met six times during the year; committees and groups met between PCC meetings,

reporting discussions and making recommendations to the Council.

The particular objectives for 2017/18 remained unchanged from last year and discussion during

the year focussed upon them, namely: to develop a ministry for the Parish Centre for both the

Church and the wider community; work with children and young people; corporate prayer, and

welcome. In addition, there was ongoing discussion relating to poverty and homelessness in

Cambridge.

Financial Report: Richard Martin

Overview of the Accounts for the year ended 31st. December 2017

Total net assets increased by £62,144 to £552,982 over the year. The main factors in the

change were an increase in share prices, a General Fund (GF) surplus, expenditure on the

Lady Chapel, replacement of the central heating boiler and three legacies. The total value of

investments increased by £36,834 reflecting share price changes over the year. Income

shares in the Church of England Investment Fund, which accounted for 97.4% of our total

investments at the year end, increased in value by 8.76% and produced a dividend yield of

3.58% for the year.

The investment and reserves policies were reviewed by the PCC on 17th. January 2018.

The level of funds held in short term deposits at the year end (£116,619) reflects requirements

for work to the Lady Chapel and liquidity during the current year. Net expenditure relating to

refurbishment of the Lady Chapel during 2017 was £27,720.

The John Hughes memorial fund, set up in 2016, is accommodated within the VCWs’ deposit

account at Barclays by agreement with the Vicar and Churchwardens. This is not, however,

an LSM fund and the year end balance (£10,692) is therefore shown as a current liability in

the Balance Sheet.

The Sally Head Garden Fund, also accommodated as a restricted component within the

VCWs’ deposit, had a year end balance of £3,444.

General Fund income exceeded expenditure, after adjustments for creditors, by £6,896

compared with a corresponding surplus of £11,255 for 2016. Income increased by 2.61% and

expenditure by 5.89%. GF Income has, therefore, enabled us to carry forward the ministry

and mission of LSM at the levels of previous years and to provide a small reserve for future

initiatives and contingencies. It reflects continued generous giving by our congregation and

sustained efforts by those responsible for expenditure in their stewardship of resources.

Investment and Reserves Policies, reviewed by the PCC on 17th. January 2018

Background

The Charities Commission strongly recommends that charity trustees decide on an

investment policy and a reserves policy for their charity, record it clearly in writing and keep

it under regular review.

For investment policy see Charity Commission publication CC14

For reserves policy see Charity Commission publication CC19.

1 Investment Policy

Charity Commission Guidance

- Take a prudent approach to investment;

- Strike the right balance between providing short term income and long term

sustainability.

Requirements of the investment policy

The investment policy should address the following considerations:

- The need for enough resources for the charity to carry out its present and future

activities effectively;

- The level of acceptable risk and how to manage it;

- The charity’s stance on ethical investment, if any.

St. Mary the Less PCC (the charity) - Investment Policy

Surplus funds will be invested to give the maximum return to the charity subject to the

following:

- Funds will be invested in ethical investments unless this would be to the

significant financial detriment to the charities;

- Funds will not be invested where there would be any conflict with the aims of the

charity;

- Funds will be invested in markets where financial services are closely regulated

and, where possible, compensation schemes are in place;

- Funds will be invested where the trustees consider the risks to be low, and

- Funds approximately equal to annual, General Fund expenditure will be invested

on a short to medium term basis to ensure accessibility in the event of unforeseen

expenditure.

The performance of investments will be reported in the Annual Report and accounts.

The performance of investments and the Investment Policy will be reviewed by the trustees

on an annual basis.

2 Reserves Policy

Charity Commission Guidance

- The level of reserves should be justifiable;

- Reserves policy should be based on a realistic assessment of the charity’s reserve

needs.

Requirements of the reserves policy

The reserves policy should address the following considerations:

- The reasons why the charity needs reserves;

- What level of reserves the trustees believe the charity needs;

- What steps the charity will take to establish or maintain reserves at the agreed

level, and

- The arrangements for monitoring and reviewing the policy.

St. Mary the Less PCC (the charity) - Reserves Policy

Due to the listed status and historic nature of the church building managed by the trustees of

the charity, maintenance and improvement work is expensive. The trustees anticipate that the

building will require significant on-going investment which will include, from time to time,

substantial one-off costs.

The charity will, therefore, aim to maintain reserves of three times annual, General Fund

expenditure (currently around £435,000) to be used for the extraordinary maintenance and

improvement of the church buildings and, at the discretion of the trustees, to initiate and

support activities in furtherance of the church’s ministry and mission in accordance with the

stated objectives of the charity.

The Reserves Policy will be reported in the Annual Report and accounts.

The level of reserves and the Reserves Policy will be reviewed by the trustees on an annual

basis.

Churchwardens’ Report: Patricia Davies, Janet Nevitt

The Churchwardens wish to highlight the following points which have contributed towards the

busy life at Little St Mary’s (LSM).

The main church boiler was eventually renewed and we commenced the winter with a fully

functioning system.

The refurbishment to the Lady Chapel was unfortunately delayed until the autumn as the delay

in receiving the faculty meant that the Building Contractor had to reschedule his work. (This

has progressed well up to now and we will have the benefit of using it at Easter although the

final works are due to be completed shortly after).

The Stations of the Cross, in memory of Fr. John Hughes, are progressing well. Fundraising

has been successful and we have been assured by the Cardozo Kindersley Workshop that the

stations will be in place by Lent 2019.

Work has started in obtaining a quotation for a new Sound Enhancement System and following

a very successful demonstration on Advent Sunday we are awaiting a second quotation.

The pigeon problem between LSM and Peterhouse College continues and a solution is yet to

be found.

The security and nurturing of the camomile lawn causes us great concern and we are

considering gating off this area with a combination lock to enable the bereaved families and

others to gain access.

The churchwardens would like to be told immediately of any points of concern regarding the

life and fabric of the church as they endeavour to keep this under constant review.

Jo Wibberley continues to do sterling work in respect of Health and Safety. We are extremely

grateful to Jo for the many hours she spends preventing and putting right any hazards.

A new appointment of an Administrative Assistant was created in the autumn. After some

initial problems the role is proving of great benefit to the parish. It is good to know that the

office is manned each weekday morning in a very efficient and friendly manner by Emma

Bourne.

The Churchwardens wish to thank the clergy, lay pastoral assistant (Yaro until August), Jo

Wibberley (deputy churchwarden), servers, organists and choir, flower arrangers, launderers,

sidesmen and women, Vicky Farmer together with her social committee for the provision of

refreshments, and all those who help with preparation for the services. We would also like to

thank all the people who help to provide a welcome and help with the organisation required at

the back of the church during services, for all that they do, Malcolm Munro and his team who

help with the garden, Lucy McKitterick and Amie who are the regular church cleaners, and the

little team of people who help with maintenance work in the church. Lucy is also very helpful

in the sacristy. All this work is done loyally and often inconspicuously, but it is what keeps

the church fabric and services functioning and is invaluable. We are very grateful to everybody

involved.

It is an honour to serve as Churchwardens at LSM and we thank the members of the

congregation for all their support.

Children’s Report: Helen Thompson

The Children’s group has seen an increase in numbers this year with a more regular set of

children joining us.

Numbers are looking healthier and more consistent as we welcome new families. Of course,

the numbers have been swelled by families of our ordinands and the babies that were using the

crèche area are now starting to join us at the table and developing their colouring in skills and

interacting with the older children. The younger members of the choristers still join us bring

the average age of the group up a little, but we have also seen a natural drop of the older

choristers staying in the service which is a wonderful sign of them growing up and becoming

more involved with the service itself.

We continue to use different resources to deliver the teaching. Depending on the leader the

sessions will vary every week but will always be focused on the Gospel or one of the set

readings for the Sunday. We will read or act out the bible reading and respond to it with

discussion and frequently a drawing or piece of craft work.

We continue to add toys and suitable books to the crèche area and the back of church for when

the children re-join the service to ensure a comfortable and welcoming space for families.

As always, I am very grateful to all the leaders and helpers both on the rota and those who

support when they can.

Music & the Choir: Simon Jackson

It has been another busy year for the Choir at Little St Mary’s. Singing in a Choir is hardwork,

mentally and physically taxing, and it is vital for singers at every stage of their development to

check that they are using their voices in the best way. So I am delighted to report, in a new

innovation this year, that we have been able to provide a modest number of singing lessons to

all members of the choir. It has been wonderful to welcome Rachel Godsill, a local singing

teacher who works with a number of choirs in Cambridge, to come in every few weeks to work

with adults and children of the choir.

The Choristers have sung for a number of extra events this year – including the now annual

Carol services and St George’s, Six Mile Bottom, and in Trinity Chapel. They also provided

the “headline act” at Gift Day this year – an expanded Choristers’ Concert, featuring

performances of Richard Rodney Bennett’s two short song cycles The Aviary and The Insect

World. Children and adult members of the Choir also participated – both acting and singing –

in the Passion Play that took place in the run-up to Passiontide 2018.

My work with the Choir would not have been possible without the help and support of a number

of individuals whose contribution should be noted. David Warren, Organ Scholar at Robinson,

was our Assistant Organist throughout the Academic Year: we were very sorry to lose him over

the Summer, when he took up a place for further postgraduate study in the USA. His successor,

Alex Coplan, took over in September: Alex is a graduate of St Catharine’s College, where he

was Organ Scholar. Sarah MacDonald has also continued to play regularly for us on a Sunday

morning: it is splendid to enjoy her support. Tricia Davies continues to help behind the scenes,

helping in particular to support our work with the Choristers and Probationers; and Eleanor De

Wolf has contributed a great deal administratively to the smooth-running of the Choir Library.

Lizzie Davies, Bob De Wolf and Alexander Harrison all support Mary Ward in her invaluable

work with the Junior Choir (more of which below) – and I am grateful to them all for their

contributions to this important facet of our musical life. I am hugely grateful, too, for the

continued interest shown by members of the congregation in the music at LSM. I’ve said it

before, but it’s important to repeat: one of the pleasures of my work at LSM is the sense that

the entire congregation is engaged in the music-making – not just listening to the choir and

organ, but joining in fully in the singing of hymns, psalms, and the ordinary of the mass.

On Mothering Sunday 2018 it was a great delight to admit 5 Probationers to full Choristerships

in the Choir: we end the year with 11 Choristers and 6 Probationers. Edward Bellett-Travers

continues in his role as one of our sixth form Choral Scholars; over the course of the year we

bade farewell to Ali Austin, who goes on to a Choral Scholarship in the Choir of Peterborough

Cathedral. I am also very happy to report that Agnes Pethers (a former Chorister) took up a

Choral Scholarship at Worcester College, Oxford in Michaelmas.

Though it may not perhaps be the place, I would like to end this report on a very personal note

– thanking the choir not only for their music-making and companionship throughout the year,

but also in particular for their singing at my wedding to Simone in August. It was a privilege,

both humbling and moving, to sit between the choir stalls and to hear such splendid singing

surrounding us on all sides: we are both so grateful for your contribution to the day.

Junior Choir: Mary Ward

The Junior Choir continues to meet at the same time as the Junior Probationers, at 5.00pm on

Friday evenings. On Mothering Sunday, three former members of the Junior Choir became

choristers and the Junior Choir joined with the Probationers to sing A Mass for Children,

written by Simon Jackson, our Director of Music.

Several families attend the Junior Choir and this year the children have sung their usual Harvest

Song, attended the Children’s Service on Christmas Eve and sang the Offertory on Mothering

Sunday. During Lent we look towards the events of Holy Week and the children attend the

Liturgy at 5.00pm on Good Friday.

I am very grateful for the loyalty and commitment to the choir shown both by the families who

attend so regularly, and also by our helpers, Lizzie Davies, Bob DeWolf and Alexander

Harrison. The children appreciate their kindness and good humour as well as their singing and

dramatic skills. It has been lovely too to have had the theological wisdom of Fr Gregory, this

year.

Cambridge Churches Homeless Project: Lucy McKitterick

The CCHP (for those new to it or to LSM!) is a local scheme to reduce rough sleeping in

Cambridge during the winter months by offering accommodation in church buildings, and

which aims to build pastoral relationships with those in our care leading hopefully to longer-

term housing and help with our guests’ other needs. At the time of writing we have offered

shelter to 43 people this winter, of whom 15 so far have been helped into a variety of

accommodation.

2017-18 has been the Project’s fifth winter of operation and has been a time of growth, greater

organisation and deepening understanding of the issues facing rough sleepers in the city.

During the summer of 2017 we became a registered charity, with a founding board of six

Trustees: it has been very good to see continued at this level the strong ecumenical emphasis

which has been a mark of the CCHP since its beginning, with each Trustee coming from a very

different church tradition. This group, with some additional members, also currently forms the

“core team” who run the project from night to night and meet fortnightly after work on

Tuesdays throughout the year. The rota of “host churches” has expanded this year to include

St John’s Hills Road and Wesley Methodist Church (staffed by a team of volunteers from

Trumpington Church): vital help which has enabled LSM to stage a Passion Play and the

Project to run for the first time through Holy Week until Easter Monday. The nights are still

very cold so this is something for which to be thankful!

Recruitment and training of new volunteers ran as in previous years during November, with

LSM hosting much of the training: this season we have grown from c.300 to c.400 volunteers

from almost every church in Cambridge (including the Mormons), several colleges, and local

business groups. Volunteers offer either evenings or “overnights”, as many or as few as they

are able: each night is also supported by a “team leader” from among the volunteers. There is

a strong ethos of mutual support and good communication: all team leaders attend focused

training every autumn and all receive the reports from each night of the project. We are very

grateful to Franco Basso from our own congregation and Julia Smith from Trumpington for

sharing this responsibility at LSM. On an operational level the Project has been much blessed

this year by the appointment of Jemma Strachan as a part-time paid “co-ordinator”: not only

does she manage the “guest list” with grace and compassion, we have never been short of

sleeping bags since!

LSM hosted on Tuesday nights in December and January this year, with a holiday on 26th

December which fell under the Christmas period hosted by our friends at Our Lady and the

English Martyrs. As in previous years our volunteers were a mix of our own congregation and

help from elsewhere: this year the Mothers’ Union stepped forward to wash our sheets and

pillowcases which with 15-17 guests a week is a substantial task! It was especially good to

enjoy Fr Gregory’s cooking on one of the evenings, and throughout the two months to see how

much our guests appreciated staying at LSM with the peaceful atmosphere and warmth of

hospitality we were able to offer. A number returned in March to see our Passion Play which

was something of a testament to what this place has meant to them. Our guests were once again

a mix of British nationals and those from overseas: Polish, Lithuanian and Romanian have been

this year’s languages and we are always keen to hear from volunteers who are able to help with

conversation and interpretation. This year has seen a number of serious health concerns among

our guests, with the “blue lights”, medication checklists and hospital negotiations which go

with these: we can be confident that two guests would not be alive today had they spent the

winter on the streets. Inevitably these worries put an additional strain on our volunteers, and

the “core team” sought to help by clear notes in the nightly files so that team leaders would

have the information they needed.

This year has also seen the strengthening of our links with the City Council’s Street Outreach

Team and other workers, with Heather Yeadon on secondment to us to work with guests on

follow-on accommodation. As last year, the CCHP will rent a shared house from April for 6

months to give likely candidates among our guests a chance at holding down work and

accommodation and move towards supporting themselves. The 2017-18 season however has

also reinforced what we already knew: not only is housing next to impossible for some of our

guests due to addiction, mental health, or no access to the housing benefit which makes possible

a first step into the hostel system; but equally, a lack of housing is for some of our guests only

one among several more difficult needs. It is always a shock to realise one is being presented

with a letter by a (British national) guest because he cannot read it himself: when that letter

contains a list of the written application or training needed for housing or a job, the problems

in the way of getting off the streets are only more visible. Many of our guests are victims of

trauma or child abuse and have no opportunity for counselling or psychotherapy which might

help their sense of self and worth: others are caught in cycles of guilt and addiction which are

driven by much more even than the continuous stress of being without a home. Then there is

still the problem that Cambridge has many more rough sleepers than hostel spaces (or spaces

at the CCHP): and, significantly, a number are choosing not to use even the emergency “cold

weather” beds offered by the City Council at Jimmy’s on the worst winter nights. These are all

problems which are facing our brothers and sisters in Cambridge today, and the CCHP is

grateful for the support of this church in our work.

Christian Giving: Clive Brown

Our annual review of Christian Giving is a regular opportunity for all members of the

congregation to reflect on the ways in which they contribute to the church, not only financially,

but also by giving of their time and talents.

Each year, the Vicar writes to everyone on the Electoral Roll. The letter, and a now familiar

pack of documents, were available to hand out from Sunday 7th May. The document pack was

also sent electronically to everyone who had provided an e mail address, and electronic

reminders were sent each week after that. There is a small committee to help with the surprising

amount of administration that is needed in running the process and preparing the documents.

The response was again gratifying and generous. This is evident from the active ministry of

the Parish, which would not be possible without the support, not only financial but in time,

energy and talent, which is unstintingly given.

LSM Global: Alexander Whiscombe, Clive Brown

The Global Group is responsible for maintaining LSM’s links with the wider Church overseas.

This is done not only by financial support, but by regular prayer and personal contact, and with

visits where possible.

There were considerable changes last year. Gillian Beard stepped down as Chair, having

served in that capacity for many years, and she was replaced by Alexander Whiscombe. The

other members of the Group are the Vicar, Clive Brown and Masha Cleminson. Particular

thanks are due to Gillian for her long and energetic service to the Group, as well as to other

past members who stepped down last year after having given their active support to promoting

overseas mission

There was a review of the role of the Group, and the nature of the relationship which should be

fostered with our links overseas. Cardinal aspects were identified as cross-cultural encounters

which contribute to the growth of discipleship; the development of friendships; and mutual

support in prayer. While financial support also plays a role, it should be seen as part of an

overall relationship by which we express our love and friendship.

As a consequence of this review, a Mission Statement has been adopted by the Group as

follows:

“The Global Committee hopes to expand LSM’s vision and act against parochialism by

facilitating and promoting opportunities to share our Christian experience with other church

communities across the world, as well as learn from and appreciate differences in life and style

of worship. This will be done by focusing on four key areas:

Cross-cultural exchange: listening and learning, growing our common discipleship

Developing friendships: both personal and corporate friendship between communities, thereby

sharing a common identity in Christ

Prayer: sharing prayer across the geographical divide and mindful of specific needs

Mutual Support: practical, if necessary, and spiritual”

We also reviewed our existing links. Over the years, some of our links have grown and

developed, while in other cases, personal contacts have moved on, and some groups which

were reliant on our support have become stronger. The Committee has decided to focus on

links with which LSM has most contact and mutual support, in line with our mission statement.

The current links are as follows:

Friends of Calcutta Cathedral Relief Service (Clive Brown):

CRS is an NGO operating under the aegis of St Paul’s Cathedral in Kolkata. It works in city

slums and surrounding villages to provide primary education, healthcare, and women’s

empowerment (the latter through training women trapped in poverty to lea skills they can use

to earn a living). We support CRS through the Friends of the Calcutta Cathedral Relief Service,

which is a UK charity of which Clive Brown is one of the trustees. The Friends not only raise

funds for CRS, but play an active role in supporting its activities. The Director of CRS in

Kolkata, Rig David, visited Little St Mary’s in May.

Papua New Guinea Church Partnership (Alexander Whiscombe):

The Anglican Church in Papua New Guinea is supported through PNGCCP. Alexander

Whiscombe attended the annual Conference in London in September. The new Archbishop,

the Most Reverend Allan Migi, was present. The Right Reverend Peter Ramsden, the former

Bishop of Port Moresby preached at Little St Mary’s on Sunday, the 22nd January, and then

spoke about PNG after coffee in the Parish Centre.

The Makeni Ecumenical Centre in Zambia (Masha Cleminson)

LSM continues to support the St Nicholas Aids Orphanage which is part of the Makeni

Ecumenical Centre. In addition to the annual funding from the LSM General Fund, a number

of people in the congregation give regularly to the orphanage. AIDS continues to devastate the

poor in Zambia, and many children are left without parental support, and are often themselves

HIV positive. There are enormous practical problems in maintaining communications with

Makeni. Little St Mary’s personal link is with Anton Dil, the son of Fr Pierre Dil who was the

founder of the Centre, and who lives in Northampton. Anton Dil came to Cambridge and spoke

about the Centre at Mass on St Luke’s Day.

St Cyprian’s, Sharpeville (Clive Brown):

We maintain personal contact with St Cyprian’s through the Rector, the Reverend Canon David

Mahlonoko, who writes to us regularly. We provide news of Little St Mary’s by sending him

copies of the Parish Newsletter on which he frequently comments. Fr David sent a lengthy

Advent Letter to LSM, which gave an illuminating picture of life in the parish of St Cyprian’s.

Regular articles about the Global links are published in the Parish Newsletter.

The PCC allocated £6,000 out of the 2017 General Fund to be distributed to our overseas links.

The following donations were made. (These are in line with past giving.)

CRS, Kolkata: £1,400

PNGCP: £1,000

Makeni: £1,400

St Cyprian’s: £500

An amount of £1,700 was retained to enable us to support specific projects which may arise,

or to make emergency donations.

Little St Mary’s Forum Lunch Club: Bob De Wolf

Forum Lunch club has had another successful year with typical attendance around 16 – 22,

with a maximum of 25 in March’s event.

We are grateful for the entertainment provided after the lunches, both from within the parish

and beyond: Tricia & Friends on Recorder, The Coming of the Railways to Cambridge, Songs

of Spring, Making Call the Midwife, Jazz Encounters, and Hellenistic Poetry to name some of

the titles from the year. A list of suggested contacts for possible speakers has recently been

received from Christina Rowland-Jones, who set up the original Lunch Club at St James.

We are missing Tim Wheatley’s huge contribution to running Forum Lunch. Christine Tipple

has taken up for now the routine of contacting our members and new referrals before each

event.

Thanks are due to all those who have helped through the year by cooking, which is always

delicious. And thanks to all others who help with setting & clearing up, serving, or just chatting

- all jobs that make the lunches possible.

LSM Passion Play: Lucy McKitterick

On Friday 16th and Saturday 17th March (two weeks before Easter), LSM staged a Passion Play

in church.

The Play was a year in the making and was supported by a working group of around 8 people

who met every six weeks or so from September onwards to talk about logistics, funding and

every aspect of work behind the scenes. Casting was held in November over two informal

sessions, with rehearsals beginning for the largest roles in January and for the full cast at the

start of February, two evenings each week plus Saturday mornings. Around 60 people were

involved in the project, including 36 speaking parts, two choirs (adults and children or

“Cherubim”), technical/lighting and wardrobe teams.

The script was a new one written especially for LSM, in the blank verse tradition of the

medieval mystery plays with some passages of prose or rhymed metre for effect. The music

was a mix of classic (current and less familiar) “Evangelical” or “mission” hymns, all of them

outside our regular Sunday repertoire: in addition Simon Jackson our Director of Music

composed original music for a couple of the scenes. The Play followed a broadly Gospel

narrative with some more freely imaginative passages dealing with the demise of Judas, the

lives of Roman conscript soldiers, the dream of Pilate’s wife and the interior thoughts of

characters such as Pontius Pilate, Mary Magdalene and Our Lady. The imagery was richly

Catholic (Angelus bells, Christ on the Cross vested in alb and purple stole, angels scattering

the Precious Blood (rose petals!) through the congregation) but the theology of the Atonement

deliberately ambiguous: we saw Death conquered, “baited by a cross like a hook to reel me in”

after Augustine, but Barabbas’ declaration that “you in some great and strange new battle/Took

all my punishment without complaint” would perhaps resonate with Christians of other church

traditions. The Play concluded with the Collect for Good Friday (“look with mercy on this your

family”) read by the Vicar (now out of costume!) and a final Amen: it was both drama and act

of worship.

The Play was “trailered” in a live interview on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire Sunday Breakfast

thanks to Heidi Thomas from our congregation; we were awarded £940 from the Ely Diocesan

Mission Fund in recognition of the potential of such a production. Performances were free,

with a retiring collection which raised just over £1,050 for the LSM Stations of the Cross

Appeal and the Cambridge Churches Homeless Project, whose volunteers made up around half

of the cast and whose “guests” (rough sleepers) joined us for the Friday evening performance.

Thanks are especially due to Wesley Methodist Church and Trumpington Church, who hosted

and organised “our” Tuesday nights for the CCHP in February and March making both

rehearsals and direction possible: to the 8 ordinands from Ridley Hall and Westcott House who

took part (and the Principal of Westcott for allowing them to miss some compulsory sessions

in college): to the Rev’d David Karoon, Assistant Curate of Trumpington who prayerfully and

courageously accepted the part of Jesus: to Pierre Riley (Fitzwilliam College) who stepped in

as pianist: and to all the cast and production team for their hard work, fine performances and

unfailing good will.

“It moved me to tears” was a comment heard several times in the days following production: a

good review for a Passion Play, and it was tremendous fun as well.

Cambridge South Deanery Synod: Lucy McKitterick

The Deanery Synod has met three times since the last APCM: in June, November, and in

March. LSM is always well represented at these meetings as we supply both Rural Dean and

Secretary besides five other members of either Deanery or Diocesan Synod, and (since Richard

Morgan’s election in June) also the Lay Chair!

The agenda for our meetings usually contains a small number of “business” items along with

a presentation on a topic of mutual interest among our parishes: Fr Robert has also encouraged

the host church for each meeting to speak briefly about its own work and latest initiatives, and

each meeting also has time and space to socialise and meet other parish representatives.

At St Martin’s in June we heard a presentation from the Rev’d Jon Canessa on his work as

Bishop’s Advisor for Homelessness and in the new housing in St Paul’s parish, particularly in

social housing and among single parents and with flats taken over for prostitution. He spoke

movingly of his initiative to provide a group where the homeless or formerly homeless could

talk through issues around addiction: in their honesty he felt “on holy ground”. St Paul’s has

also been the first church in Cambridge to be offered the status of Ecochurch, and the Synod

heard about this work and how the parish became involved.

November’s meeting took the form of Evening Prayer at St James’ Wulfstan Way and (as last

year) the commissioning of Lay Ministers (LLMs), this year two from St John’s Hills Road.

The March meeting at St Bene’t’s included a presentation from the Rev’d Olivia Coles,

Diocesan “Baptism Plus” Co-ordinator, who shared statistics for baptisms (now officially

called Christenings) in the Diocese and Deanery and spoke of the ways the Diocese is

encouraging parishes to use these encounters with families as the beginning of a relationship

with their local church and its members.

Business through the year has included the administration of the Ministry Share, the sharing of

reports from Diocesan Synod, and an encouragement to pray for each other, especially for the

new Assistant Curates who joined our parishes in June, and for ordinations in the summer and

(for the Rev’d David Karoon, who played Jesus in the LSM Passion Play) in December. The

meetings are always good-humoured and convivial, and attendance from the laity is

consistently fairly high: it is sometimes a pity that so few clergy are able to come (only three

out of a possible 31 for our last meeting) as it would be good to share these times with them!

The work of the Deanery is however far more than happens in Synod meetings, and thanks as

always are due to Fr Robert for his gracious and generous leadership as well as prayers for his

work.

Ely Diocesan Synod: Jo Wibberley

The Synod met three times, in March, June and October. Ely 2025 with the 5 levers of change

was a common theme which ran through the meetings: Nurture a confident people of God;

Develop healthy churches and people; Serve the community; Re-imagine our buildings; Target

support to key areas.

In March, the Archdeacon of Cambridge presented his draft leaflet “Way of Life” (Nurturing

a confident people of God) and at the following meeting he introduced a discussion with visual

aids concerning Ely 2025: Development Action Plans (Lever 2).

Lever 4 of Ely 2025 “Re-imagine our buildings” was taken up by the Diocesan Secretary who

gave a presentation on our future accommodation requirements, stating that Bishop Woodford

House was built in 1970/2 and it was designed for 25 years. This will be a huge undertaking

with many facets to be considered in looking to the future, including greater provision for

training. There will be a consultation process with stakeholders facilitated by the Judge

Institute to help formulate the way forward. Two new DAC (Diocesan Advisory Council)

members were introduced: Frances Godden, Head of the Church Buildings and Pastoral

department and deputy Diocesan Secretary, and Geoffrey Hunter, a diocesan church buildings

consultant as well as being a member of the Churches Building Council in London. Also in

their team is Sue Dickinson, an administrative assistant who used to work for the heritage

Lottery Fund and knows about grant applications. Not only are they re-imaging our buildings

but also re-imaging the DAC by a) revising the number, frequency and length of meetings, b)

making better use of technology, c) committee members to have the necessary skills and

background to complement each other, d) adding new website pages, e) providing an online

faculty facility (produced centrally by Church House) which is already in use.

Bishop Stephen gave two presidential addresses. In the first he spoke of the concerns which

face us, but he was also upbeat in his outlook for Ely diocese as a place where all may flourish,

with a greater need for lay leadership – not only how we are called but how we are sent, and

quoted Isaiah’s vision “Who shall I send….” “Here I am, send me”; to grow more lay

participation within the church so that they can reach out in the world of work and in

community action; trying out new ideas and equipping to transform communities. He was

enthusiastic about the appointment of the Revd. Mike Booker as the Bishop’s Change officer

for market towns and of the central Strategic Development fund available for their growth in

which we can work in partnership with others agencies and charities e.g. the local authority

and the Mothers’ Union, and by working towards the common good in the wider community

such as schools, so that we can enable children of all backgrounds to flourish.

In the second, which was in the month of the 500 anniversary of the Protestant Reformation,

he spoke of Luther’s 1520 treatise ‘On Christian Liberty’ which explored the freedom that

comes through the Gospel message of abundant life freely held out to us in Jesus Christ. As

children of God, called through our baptism into his service, we are free. The vision to which

we are committed as a diocese is a vision of ‘People Fully Alive’. To be fully alive is to be

free to be the people God created us to be; free to serve in the ways God has called us to serve;

free to live lives which bear witness to Jesus Christ; free to live lives that overflow with

generosity and hopefulness, witnessing to the abundant life and love of God made known in

Jesus Christ. A new vocations strategy for the diocese is being finalised, which aims not only

to encourage and nurture vocations to ordained ministry, but also to foster a culture of vocation

among all the baptised, as we seek to discern together how to respond to the divine address.

This is true for laity and clergy alike: our first call is that of our baptism. Ely is a pilot diocese

for the national church’s report Setting God’s People Free. This seeks new ways of liberating

the gifts of lay people – the 98% of the Church of England who are not ordained – and growing

lay leadership. It looks at how we might nurture a confident people God who are free to live

their Christian discipleship Monday to Saturday, not just in church on a Sunday, or in church-

related activities, but in every other aspect of life.

Setting God’s People Free is part of the Church of England’s programme for Renewal and

Reform. The diocese has been peer reviewed by the national church. This process which looks

at a variety of aspects of the diocese – strategic, financial, cultural and structural – is another

dimension of Renewal and Reform, which is about imagining the future of the church for

generations to come. When the report is received its suggestions for development will be

shared because we believe that we are only fully alive as a church, when we are alive together,

and that means being accountable to one another. The purpose of the review is to hold up an

honest mirror to the diocese, and we expect that mirror to reflect both what we are doing well

and what needs some more work, further attention, and deeper thought.

Other presentations given were A) about the Children’s Society by the Revd. Mike Todd from

their head office and Robert Wheeler, Ely Diocesan Ambassador for the Children’s Society

and manager of their shop in Sawston. Tribute was paid to churches in the diocese who had

raised £22,960 for the Society in the last year. They have a history of 135 years of working

in partnership with the church, relating their work to lever 3, Serving the Community. They

asked for support for their shops in Sawston, Cherry Hinton and Mill Road, Cambridge by

recycling their goods, buying and volunteering. B) from The Revd David Kinder, chaplain at

HMP Littlehey near Huntingdon and chairman of the Criminal Justice Forum, who gave an

elucidatory talk, ably assisted by the Hope Players, on how life can spiral out of control and

into prison if we don’t ask for help when help is needed. C) an annual review of Safeguarding

by Rebecca Boswell, diocesan safeguarding officer who drew attention to five new policy and

guidance documents published in 2017.

Frequently Synods include the commissioning of officers. In March two LLM area sub-

wardens were commissioned, the Revd. Julie Norris for Cambridge South and the Revd.

Christine Deacon for Cambridge North. In October the Revd Dr Hannah Cleugh was licensed

as senior chaplain to the Bishop and the Revd Olivia Mary Kana Coles was licensed as Baptism

Plus Co-ordinator. In addition, Richard Morgan was congratulated on his election to General

Synod.

This triennium ends on 31 July 2018 and elections for Diocesan Synod will take place shortly

after that date. Cambridge South Deanery laity currently occupy 8 seats on Diocesan Synod,

4 of whom are members of LSM.

General Synod: Richard Morgan

Most parishioners will have received my earlier report by email on proceedings of the February

session of General Synod so I won’t reproduce that here. Hard copies can be obtained from

me on application. The next session takes place in York 6–10 July – there is no horse racing

that week! As I write the agenda is not yet published but there is one Private Members Motion

which I am hoping the Business Committee might bring forward. Andrew Gray (Norwich

Diocese) submitted the following:

'That this Synod, noting:

(a) the substantial levels of homelessness in the United Kingdom and

(b) initiatives to address this problem by Her Majesty’s Government, such as the

Homelessness Reduction Taskforce announced in the 2017 Autumn Budget

(c) and celebrating the good works already being undertaken by the Church of England,

other Christian denominations, faith groups, charities and social enterprises, call upon

the Archbishops’ Council to enable the formation of a Church of England led

Homelessness Taskforce including representatives from the Houses of Bishops, Clergy

and Laity to undertake:

(d) (i) the formation of plans at national, diocesan and parish levels to utilise Church

resources (whether financial, volunteers or buildings) to provide shelter and support

services for the vulnerable on a nationwide basis, building upon the wide experience of

government and Third Sector initiatives in this field; and

(e) (ii) the implementation of those plans in partnership (where appropriate) with local

authorities, homeless charities, voluntary organisations, faith groups and social

enterprises.’

We garnered the requisite 100 votes (122 at the latest count) and given the amount of work and

effort Lucy McKitterick and others have done for and with the Cambridge Churches Homeless

Project; and Ruth Jackson and others for and with the Whitworth Trust I thought this was a

positive PMM to support and I will try and speak to the motion should this be debated.

The General Synod is so good at talking, affirming and welcoming that it sometimes neglects

that it has the potential to be doing. Cambridge, with its Plantagenet honey coloured walled

colleges, modern Brutalist science laboratories and research facilities can often be spoken of

as a shining city upon a hill but there is another part which is far too often swept aside and

ignored - a tale of two cities.

Live broadcasts of the Synod’s deliberations can be viewed on the Church of England website;

and past sessions can now be seen on YouTube.

Catholic Societies: Bill De Quick

The Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary (GSS); Society of Mary (SOM); Confraternity of the

Blessed Sacrament (CBS) and the Guild of All Souls (GAS) are Catholic Societies within the

Church of England.

For the first time a programme was produced featuring dates and venues of the various Catholic

Societies. This was experiment for 2017 and was well received. The programme will be

repeated in 2018. It was agreed there should be at least one meeting per month of the Office

from one of the Catholic Societies (if more they should be kept apart as much as possible)

GUILD OF SERVANTS OF THE SANCTUARY: St. Etheldreda Chapter.

The Guild met in churches and chapels around the Ely diocese. Our first meeting of the year

was at Peterhouse in January for Epiphany Office and procession to Little St. Mary's for

Benediction. In February we visited St. Mary the Virgin, Fen Ditton for the Guild Office and

Benediction. Then in March to St. Giles for Stations of the Cross and A.G.M. Our next meeting

was a mass in July at St. Mary, West Stow, Suffolk. This was a joint meeting with the Chapters

of SS Felix and Fursey and Sacred Heart. In November all the Catholic Societies met at Little

St. Mary's for the Annual Requiem and names of past members were read out. The December

meeting was postponed

Guild Chaplain: Fr. Robert Mackley.

Secretary: Tim Adams.

SOCIETY OF MARY: Cambridge Ward (of Our Lady of Mount Carmel).

In February the Ward met for Vespers and Benediction at All Saints, St. Ives. In May the

Society met for the May Devotion held at LSM; this was followed by a Procession through the

streets, ending with Benediction. The joint SOM and LSM annual Day Pilgrimage to

Walsingham took place in July. In October the Society of Mary joined members of the

Walsingham Cell in Ely Cathedral's Lady Chapel for a Walsingham Mass. Also in October

Vespers and Benediction were held at LSM. The Annual General Meeting was held after the

Sung Mass on the Conception of the BVM on 8th December at Little St. Mary's. There is no

secretary at the moment but one of our members kindly took minutes.

Ward Superior: Fr. Stephen Anderson.

Secretary: Vacant.

CONFRATERNITY OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT:

Ward of Our Lady and Corpus Christi

Fr. Geoffrey Smith, for many years our Ward Superior died on 12th October 2017. He was a

true, good and faithful servant to CBS and also to the other societies. His funeral was held at

St. Mary's, Newmarket where he was vicar from 1985-2000.

* In June the Confraternity was involved in the Corpus Christi Concelebrated Mass at St. Bene't's

followed by a street procession and ending with Benediction at Little St. Mary's. A festival day

was held at LSM in September for the whole of the Eastern District of the CBS. It started with

a Sung Mass, lunch, AGM and ending with Vespers and Benediction The confraternity joined

other catholic societies for the Annual Requiem Mass for Departed Members.

The Chaplain: Fr. Robert Mackley, acting chaplain.

Secretary: Paul Huskinson.

GUILD OF ALL SOULS: Cambridge Branch

The Guild met three times during the year. The first meeting was held at LSM in March for

Vespers and Benediction. In August the Guild met at St. St. Peter's, Ely also for Vespers and

Benediction. November: Vespers of the Dead was sung at 7.15pm before the Catholic

Societies' Annual Requiem at 8.00pm

Guild Chaplain: Fr. Robert Mackley.

Joint Secretaries: Bill de Quick and Julia Norman.

The calendar of events for the Catholic Societies for 2018 is as follows:

January

Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament

8.00pm Wednesday 31st January at Little S. Mary’s, Cambridge.

Vespers & Benediction.

February

Society of Mary

7.00pm Thursday 22nd February at Little St. Mary's, Cambridge

Vespers & Benediction.

Preacher: The Revd Gregory Lipovsky, Asst Curate of Little St. Mary's

March

Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary

7.30pm Thursday 8th March at St. Peter's, Ely.

Guild Office & Benediction & A.G.M.

Guild of All Souls

7.30pm Wednesday 21st March at Little. St. Mary's, Cambridge.

Vespers & Benediction

To allow a full keeping of Holy Week, Easter and Easter Week there are no meetings of the

Societies in April 2017.

May

Society of Mary

7.00pm Thursday 17th May at Little S. Mary’s, Cambridge.

May Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Preacher: The Ven. Gavin Kirk, Archdeacon of Lincoln

All Catholic Societies - Celebration of Corpus Christi

7.00pm Thursday 31st May at S. Bene’t’s & Little S. Mary’s, Cambridge.

Concelebrated Mass, Street Procession & Benediction.

Celebrant: Bp. Stephen Conway, Bishop of Ely

June

Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament

8.00pm Thursday 21st June at Little St. Mary's, Cambridge

Vespers & Benediction

July

Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary

Joint meeting with the chapters of SS Felix & Fursey and Sacred Heart.

8.00pm Thursday 19th July at St. Mary's, Newmarket, CB8 0HP

Guild Office & Benediction.

Society of Mary & all Catholic Societies

Saturday 21st July.

Day Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady, Walsingham.

August

Guild of All Souls

3.00pm Saturday 12th August at All Saints, St. Ives.

Vespers & Benediction.

September

Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament

12 noon Saturday 15th September at Little S. Mary’s, Cambridge.

Sung Mass, lunch, AGM, 2,30pm Vespers & Benediction.

Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary

8.00pm Thursday 20th September at St. Mary's, Sawston.. Guild Office & Benediction

October

Society of Mary

7.00pm Tuesday 2nd October at Little S. Mary’s, Cambridge.

Vespers & Benediction.

Preacher: The Revd. David Addington, Local Superior Ely, Society of Our Lady of

Walsingham

November

Guild of All Souls & all Catholic Societies

7.15pm Thursday 15th November at Little St Mary’s, Cambridge.

Vespers of the Dead followed by Requiem Mass for Departed Members.

December

Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary

7.30pm Thursday 13th December at Little St. Mary's, Cambridge

Guild Office for Advent & Benediction.

Advance note for 2019

Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary

7.30pm Thursday 10th January at St. Giles', Cambridge

Guild Office, Procession & Benediction for Epiphany

Society of Mary

7.00pm Tuesday 29th January at Little St. Mary's, Cambridge

Vespers & Benediction followed by A.G.M.

NOTABLE OCCASIONS SINCE OUR LAST ANNUAL MEETING

Saturday 25 February: Fr Robert Mackley PhD

Sunday 26 February: Drinks & Cake to celebrate the recent graduation of Fr Robert

as a Doctor of Philosophy

Sunday 5 March: Shirley Dex celebrates 50 years in LSM Choir.

Monday 17 April: Mary Rayner RIP. Requiem, St John the Baptist, Timberhill, Norwich

(widow of Maurice Rayner, LSM Churchwarden 1970-96; Treasurer -02)

Monday 24 April: Scilla (Catherine Priscilla) Hall RIP, aged 93 years.

(widow of Philip Gibbens Hall 1918-2007)

Thursday 4 May: Archdeacon’s Visitation, Ely Cathedral

Churchwardens’ admitted to office

Sunday 14 May: Janet Marsh RIP. Requiem, Holy Trinity, Bottisham

Thursday 25 May: Ascension Day. Pontifical High Mass, Baptism & Confirmation

Franco Basso, Rosanna Price, Fiona Howe

(Celebrant & Preacher: Rt Revd David Thomson, Bishop of Huntingdon)

Saturday 10 June: Fr Max Kramer installed as Minor Canon & Precentor, Canterbury Cathedral

Sunday 11 June: Bishop Geoffrey Rowell RIP, aged 74 years (longstanding Friend of LSM)

Thursday 15 June: Corpus Christi. Mass at St Bene’t’s, followed by

Procession to LSM for Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Wednesday 21 June: Richard Morgan elected Lay Chairman, Cambridge South Deanery

Saturday 1 July: Licensing of Fr Gregory Lipovsky, Ely Cathedral

Sunday 2 July: Welcome to Fr Gregory Lipovsky – our new assistant curate

Thursday 6 July: Yaroslav Walker selected to train for ordination

Saturday 8 July: Summer Fete – with Katie’s Jumping Fleas

Sunday 9 July: Launch Appeal: Stations of the Cross. Lida Kindersley, Hywel & Janet Hughes

St Neots Concert Band

Saturday 15 July: The Revd John Bradbury was welcomed as the new minister for Emmanuel

and St Columba’s Church

Saturday 29 July: Day Pilgrimage to Walsingham

Thursday 3 August: Richard Morgan elected to General Synod as lay member for Ely Diocese

Sunday 13 August: Yaroslav Walker’s last Sunday. Lay Pastoral Assistant 2016-17

Tuesday 15 August: Feast of The Assumption – Patronal Festival

(Preacher: Fr Simon Jones, Chaplain of Merton College, Oxford)

Saturday 19 August: Marriage of Amy Pether to Yaroslav Walker

St Germain’s, Bobbingworth, Essex

Sunday 20 August: Assumptiontide Barbecue, Vicarage Garden

Profits for Papua New Guinea Church Partnership

Thursday 24 August: Richard Charles Collis RIP, aged 82 years.

Funeral: Thursday 14 September at LSM

Friday 25 August: William Ashton Sanders RIP, aged 82 years.

Funeral: Wednesday 13 September at Holy Trinity, Balsham

Eulogy given by James W.A.Sanders, son & heir

As most of you will know my father was of a High Church persuasion and often used to miss

services here in his Parish Church to head off to the delights of the smells and bells of a High

Mass at Little St Mary’s in Cambridge. It may, therefore, seem curious to you for me to say

that it was highly appropriate that he spent much of the last day of his life at a day care centre

run by the Methodist Housing Association. It was highly appropriate because, by being in the

care of the Methodists, his life had come full circle. Like many Cornish families – my father

was very proud of his Cornish ancestry – the Sanders family were a strongly Methodist family

and my father’s grandfather, father, and three uncles were all Methodist Ministers. I trust,

therefore, that you will all appreciate why one of today’s hymns just had to be by Charles

Wesley. My grandfather was Revd John Kingsley Sanders.

Given my father’s interests were of the intellectual rather than the physical variety it is hard to

imagine him as a child but I am reliably assured he had a happy childhood and did childish

things – the story of him whitewashing his parents’ black Scottie. Jock, immediately comes to

mind – and he thoroughly enjoyed his time at his Prep School, Priors Court, a Methodist

Foundation in Hermitage, near Thatcham, in West Berkshire (now a school for autistic

children). This was where he met his best friend, Bill Roberts, subsequently his Best Man and

my Godfather. Together they went on to Kingswood School in Bath – founded in 1748 by

John Wesley for the sons of Methodist clergymen and therefore the oldest Methodist

educational institution – and then parted ways for University and National Service before

reuniting in London and sharing a flat for many years.

Oxford and my father suited each other very well although three books of Homer every week

meant that he switched from Classics to English in his first term rather than after Mods as

planned (and therefore didn’t have a leg to stand on when I too changed subjects midstream 34

years later!). There weren’t many men less suited to the army life style than my father but, in

those days there was then the inevitability of National Service. Having been born in Scotland

and having done some good research beforehand he joined the Black Watch and served as

Company Clerk for their training company. He remained devoted to the Black Watch and

regularly wore the kilt.

After the Army it was into insurance and the turning point in his life since it was there that he

met, and made friends with my Uncle, which, of course, led to his meeting my Mother, Joanna

Kathleen Harrison, daughter of Sir James Harwood Harrison, 1st Baronet (MP for Eye, Suffolk

1951-79) and Peggy Stenhouse. They obviously got on well from an early stage since my

father was one of the few people to send a 21st Birthday card to my mother in 1960 – not so

easy as it sounds given that she was part way through nine months in Africa. In due course

they were married in 1966 and my father was extremely pleased and proud to celebrate his

Golden Wedding with many of you last year, as his parents and both sets of grandparents had

also reached this landmark. The two years after the wedding saw two further important

developments, moving to Nine Chimneys in December 1967, and my arrival in 1968. Having

lived an extremely peripatetic early life as a child of the manse, my father was always

determined to establish firm roots and I think that I can safely say that over 49½ years those

roots grew deep here in Balsham – and by dying at home he proved that they couldn’t even be

pulled out in death.

The recession of the mid 1970s led to my father leaving the City, where he had latterly worked

as a Public Relations Officer at the Stock Exchange, and he then principally worked from home

doing a portfolio of part time jobs in Church and Charitable Administration, most recently as

the Appeals Director for the Anglican Centre in Rome. His involvement with the Church was

considerable ranging from serving as Churchwarden here to serving for ten years (1995-2005)

on the General Synod. He even considered ordination. He was, therefore, delighted when I

got my current job at Church House.

My father’s great interest apart from the Church was heraldry and genealogy (especially that

of European Royal Families and the British and Irish aristocracy). Should you need to know

something about a Nineteenth Century princeling from a minor German Duchy my father was

the man to who to turn. He actually wrote to the College of Arms as a young man to see

whether there were any vacancies but the salary was too low. I still can’t make up my mind

whether the tabard of a King of Arms would have suited him or not! His interest extended as

far as applying for a grant of his own arms and paying for the restoration and repositioning of

the Royal Arms here in Balsham Church.

Many of the letters and cards that my mother and I have received since my father’s death refer

to him being such a gentleman and also a gentle man. He was certainly both of those. As such,

he was always very well turned out. Indeed, Dian Rynberg, his final carer, will tell you that

even in the last few weeks he was always very precise regarding what he wanted to wear to go

to Church. Would it be the blazer with the Black Watch buttons, or the Fleur-de-Lis buttons,

or the Oxford University buttons?

There is much more that I could say about my father – no doubt you all have your own special

memories of him but let us remember with love and affection a faithful servant of the Church,

a loyal subject of The Queen, a devoted husband, father, grandfather (not forgetting being

Master to Ocky and many other dogs), and a good friend to many. May he Rest in Peace.

Requiem Mass held at LSM on Saturday 18 November at 10.00am

Saturday 26 August: Marriage of Simone Kotva to Simon Jackson

Saturday 2 September: Marriage of Hannah McManus to Simon Richardson

Saturday 9 September: Marriage of Emily Thorpe to Charlie Burgoyne

Monday 11 September: Fr Robert’s 10 Day Ecumenical Study Tour, St Petersburg & Moscow.

Sunday 17 September: Baptism, Tara Anastasia van Ryneveld

Saturday 23 September: Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament District Festival

Sung Mass followed by lunch and AGM

followed by Vespers & Benediction

Sunday 24 September: Harvest Festival

Monday 25 September: Consuelo Moorsom, new parish administrator

Saturday 30 September: Annual Pilgrimage Walk to Ely

Wednesday 18 October – St Luke’s Day. Speaker after Mass, Anton Dil,

Makeni Ecumenical Centre, Zambia

Saturday 21 October: “All For Your Delight” – an evening of Songs from the Shows, Ballads

and Gilbert & Sullivan classics with Rosemary Wheeler and friends.

Wednesday 1 November: All Saints’ Day. Preacher, The Rev’d Nicholas Walters, assistant

curate of St Mary the Virgin, Primrose Hill, London NW3.

Monday 6 November: Michael Ramsey Lecture. Revd Canon Simon Oliver, Van Mildert

Professor of Divinity at Durham University “The Church of England and Priesthood.”

Saturday 11 November: Fr Kyle McNeil inducted as priest in charge of Horden, and of

Blackhall, Castle Eden and Monkhesleden (Durham). Fr Kyle has spent the last 3 years as

assistant curate at St Mary’s, Cockerton (Darlington); and was LSM lay pastoral assistant

2009-10. Fr Kyle’s predecessor at Horden was Fr Kevin Smith, now administrator at the

Shrine of Our Lady, Walsingham.

Friends of LSM: Mass at Most Holy Redeemer, Clerkenwell; tour of The Charterhouse, EC1

and attendance at the Lord Mayor’s Show

Sunday 12 November: Remembrance Sunday. Preacher, The Rev’d Deiniol Morgan CF

Defence Academy of the United Kingdom

Sunday 3 December: Advent Carol Service, 6.00pm

Wednesday 6 December: Advent Group, 7.30pm – exploring the meaning of three great words

and themes in Christianity: Faith, Hope and Love. Talk, discussion and finish with Compline

at 9pm.

Wednesday 13 December: Advent Group, 7.30pm.

Thursday 14 December: Alan Ashton RIP, aged 75 years.

Alan was a Methodist minister who retired to Cambridge in 2008 and served all his ministry

in the East Anglia District. His first appointment was for 8 years in the then Thetford Circuit,

living in Mildenhall. He moved to the Cromer and Sheringham Circuit, as it was then, for 12

years and finally came to the then Newmarket Circuit where he spent 9 years before moving to

Cambridge. Alan had 3 married children and 7 grandchildren. Between March 2011 and 31

August 2012 he worked at Castle Street Methodist Church. Alan was also a board member of

the Methodist Ministers’ Housing Society.

Outside of church life his great passion was flower arranging and he was Secretary of the

Burwell & District Flower Club. A keen listener to Classic FM, he was fond of opera and

ballet attending whenever he could manage it – or afford it! Alan also enjoyed history and

reading biographies.

Looking back on 29 years of ‘active’ ministry and at the Church today he said he would very

much still want it to be a Church that was a missionary church, a compassionate church, a

learning church, an expectant church, an inclusive church, a generous church and a prophetic

church.

Since moving to Cambridge Alan was a faithful member and regular communicant at LSM

where he also assisted in arranging flowers for the statue of Our Lady and elsewhere. He died

suddenly on his way to London just 3 weeks after celebrating his 75th birthday.

Sunday 17 December: Gaudete Sunday. Baptism, Stephen Edward Perry

Nine Lesson & Carols, 6.00pm

Tuesday 19 December: LSM Choir, Denbigh Ward, Fulbourn Hospital

Wednesday 20 December: Advent Group, 7.30pm

Tuesday 2 January: Emma Bourne, new parish administrator

Saturday 6 January: Epiphany of the Lord. Preacher: The Rev’d Andrew Hammond

Chaplain, King’s College, Cambridge

Saturday 13 January: Funeral, Janet Louise Crozier RIP, aged 80 years

(mother of Catherine Pickstock)

Sunday 14 January: Epiphanytide Carol Service & Benediction

including music by Marenzio, Mendelssohn & Howells

Sunday 21 January: Third Sunday of Epiphany

Preacher & Celebrant: Fr Andrew Davison,

Starbridge Lecturer in Theology & Natural Sciences

Friday 26 January: Whitworth Trust Burns Night Ceilidh: St Giles Church, 8-11.30pm

Thursday 8 March: Jon Sanders selected to train for ordination.

Friday 16 – Saturday 17 March: LSM Passion Play, 7.30pm