The Magazine of The South Wye Hereford

and South Wye Rural Parishes

April 2021 Price 50p

Hello and Welcome

Hello everyone, Isn’t it lovely that hope seems to be on the horizon once again. The Vaccination programme is in full swing, restrictions are gently lifting and Easter is near. There are still awful worries and uncertainties to face, of course. “So many people right across the country are anxious about employment, anxious about food, isolated from loved ones and feel that the future looks dark.” These are words from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s sermon on Easter Day 2020 and it is a little shocking that we are experiencing the same uncertainties this Easter. Yet the Easter story remains one of hope overcoming darkness and despair. The women arrived at the tomb on Easter morning with mixed emotions, as they came to anoint Jesus’ body. ‘But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.’ They were confused, as they tried to make sense of Jesus’ death. Their hopes were dashed with an uncertain future. In the current pandemic, we too are left asking: Where is God in all this? The young man at the tomb reminds them that God is still in control: “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.” The women had forgotten Jesus’ promise to the disciples that He would die and rise from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection is also the sure foundation of hope for us in the present crisis. He turns our confusion and fear into joy and wonder! We can trust Jesus’ plan for the future of our world and lives, despite the fact that things can’t return to the way they were: “There needs to be a resurrection of our common life, a new normal, something that links to the old, but is different and more beautiful. We must dream it, build it, make it, grasp it, because it is the gift of God and the call of God.” (Justin Welby). In this edition, we look forward to renewing onsite worship in most of our Churches at Easter—there couldn’t be a more appropriate day, could there? With every blessing to you all,

Anne

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Contents

Hello and Welcome 1

A Message from the Bishop of Hereford 3

News from the Diocese of Hereford 4

South Wye Rural: 5

South Wye Hereford 6

South Wye Hereford - Welcome to Lauren 7

South Wye Hereford - St Martin’s 8

South Wye Hereford - Services at St Martin’s and St Peter’s 9,10

South Wye Hereford - South Wye Specials 11

South Wye Hereford - St Martin’s 12

Faith and Family 13 - 16

St George’s Day 17

For Our Prayers 18

Coffee Time 19,20

Acts of Kindness 21,22

Win’s Country Diary 23

Anniversaries 24

Community First 25

God in the Sciences 26

Church News 27

You and Yours 28

Advertising 29-36, 38

Meet the Team 37

Copy for the April edition of ASPIRATION should be sent to the Team Office by the 20th April to: aspiration@stmartinshereford.org.uk The magazine will be published on April 27th.

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Letter from the Bishop of Hereford I’ve lost count of the number of times people have said to me, “everything happens for a reason.” It is normally in response to a personal tragedy or unexplained event. I often wonder what evidence lies behind that assertion. The desire to see meaning in the apparent chaos of the world seems entrenched. Of course, It could be an evolutionary artefact, like seeing patterns in the clouds, leftover from a need to make sense of the world so our ancestors didn’t get eaten by sabre-tooth tigers! Faith in that sense would be believing something in spite of the evidence, or despite evidence to the contrary. Christians use the word faith very differently. In the New Testament, it’s not seen as an abstract quality, where someone might have 15 units of it, another 30 or another 5. It’s always faith in something, much more akin to trust than a set of intellectual convictions. For the first disciples, it was staking their lives, both now and in eternity, on something they passionately believed to be true. The root of their (and our) conviction is that Jesus rose from the dead. They witnessed it with their own eyes. We continue to believe the evidence for this historical event is compelling and have experienced the lifechanging reality of encountering Jesus. To speak of the resurrection as a metaphor or in spiritual terms like ‘he rose in their hearts’ would have made no sense whatever to the disciples. The reality was difficult to comprehend, but they couldn’t deny the evidence of their own eyes and fingers as they reached out to touch him. The resurrection was the final evidence they needed that the claims Jesus made during his earthly life were true. This was more than just a man, but in a real sense, God squeezed into human form. St. Paul put it very starkly, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God!” How very joyous then, that He has!! Christ is risen: He is risen indeed, Alleluia.

+Richard

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The Diocese of Hereford has partnered with aid and development charity Christian Aid to give people an opportunity to give thanks for their Covid-19 vaccine and help others in crisis across the world. Recognising the deep sense of relief and gratitude experienced by many people after being vaccinated, the two organisations have come together to enable people to pass the blessing on by making a donation to Christian Aid’s Coronavirus Appeal. Funds from the appeal are helping vulnerable communities around the world access soap, water, food and vital health information in the face of the pandemic. Many communities around the world face an uncertain wait for a vaccine as questions remain around the cost and timing of a global vaccine programme.

The Bishop of Hereford, the Right Revd Richard Jackson, who has already had his vaccination, said. “The speed of the UK rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine has been astonishing but there are many other countries who cannot afford to roll out a national vaccination programme without financial support from the international community. I am delighted to support this campaign and I encourage people to give whatever they can afford. It will make a huge difference to people and is a way for us to express love for our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate.”

Christian Aid will support vaccination programmes in communities by providing data on hard-to-reach populations to local health services and by working with trusted community figures to challenge misleading information about the virus and vaccination as well as any stigma faced by those who contract Covid-19.

Christian Aid’s Head of Community Fundraising and Public Engagement Chine McDonald said: “The coronavirus pandemic has shown us that none of us are safe, until all of us are safe. It has been amazing to see the speed at which the vaccines have been rolled out in the UK – every jab in someone’s arm brings us closer to the end of Covid-19. But the reality is that richer countries like ours are getting more access to vaccines, while the poorer countries in which Christian Aid works are left at the back of the queue. As a Christian organisation, we believe that every person is equal in the sight of God and worthy of living lives with dignity, equality and justice.” You can donate to the Diocese of Hereford’s appeal by visiting the dedicated Giving Page at giving.tapsimple.org/online/christian-aid/herefordvaccineappeal or use the QR code:

From the Diocese of Hereford

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Easter Sunday: 11am Easter Communion at Little Dewchurch From Easter Sunday onwards we plan to return to some on-site services in the benefice:

2nd Sunday of each month 11:00am Holy Communion at Little Dewchurch,

3rd Sunday of each month 6:30pm Holy Communion at Dinedor,

Please check the Wormelow Hundred Benefice Info Page on Facebook, for information on future services and links to online services for the group. facebook.com/Wormelow-Hundred-Benefice-Info-Page-269543198348

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South Wye Hereford

South Wye Online Services and Resources Through the Week

8:00am and 8:00pm weekdays Morning and Night Prayer on St Martin’s Facebook. These services use the Common Worship service and the order of service can be found on the Church of England website churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer or by downloading the Time to Pray app to your ‘phone. If you would be happier using a book, please get in touch with the office and we can lend you one to try.

Tuesdays Online Bible Study on Zoom from 7pm on Tuesdays - please contact the office for the link. The text, notes and reflection can be found in the weekly newsletter.

Thursdays My Perspective: a weekly reflection from one of the team. Join in on St Martin’s Facebook any time from 10am Thursday.

Visiting the Team Office As we follow the national roadmap for emerging from the Covid - 19 restrictions Christine and Sharron will be returning to working in the office more regularly. However we will still try to keep physical visits to the office to a minimum to ensure everyone’s safety, and this policy is likely to continue for some time, so please contact the office by email or telephone if at all possible. If you do have to come to the office, please wear a mask. In general the front door will be unlocked and the office door will be locked and we will assist with enquiries through the service window in the lobby. Thank you all for being so understanding with our procedures, we really appreciate your patience. Thank you for your patience and consideration with this.

Anne

Our What am I reading on Sunday feature will return once our Churches reopen

for on-site Sunday services.

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Hi everyone, As some of you may be already aware, I’m Lauren and I’m delighted that if all bodes well, I shall be your new Curate from this summer. I’m currently finishing up my training at The Queen’s Foundation in Birmingham where I’ve been studying and living for the past 3 years. Prior to this whilst exploring my vocation I’ve been very fortunate enough to study Philosophy and Theology in London and then Theology for Education in Birmingham; all of which has lead me to have a particular passion for exploring methods of spirituality and for engaging in ethical theology subjects. Hopefully, I can continue to build on these areas as well as others during my time with you. Having lived locally in Hereford for much of my life I’ve always treasured exploring nature and appreciating all of God’s creation which in turn has made me a strong environmental advocate and animal enthusiast. Perhaps this is clearly expressed by me having numerous pets which include a small tribe of dogs, most of whom I have been blessed with through volunteering with an animal rescue. My other favourite pastime is attending concerts, many of which I’ve been able to go to whilst travelling various places; music certainly feels like it strengthens my faith in so many ways therefore I don’t think it would be a fair reflection of my being if I didn’t mention it here; please note I apologise in advance if you ever catch me singing to myself! As I’ve grown up in a large family in Hereford my connections with the community have always been important so I’m very excited to return for my curacy; one of my family members who has been a significant influence on my faith even has a history of worshipping at Bullinghope so it feels a type of full circle moment to be joining you all. I undeniably have much to learn not only about yourselves and the worshipping community but also much more about ministry and God, thus I can’t wait to join the team at South Wye and serve alongside each of you in whatever way that may take shape due to the changes of ‘normality’ the pandemic keeps bringing. In all circumstances, I look forward to sharing God’s love and grace with you all in whichever part of life you find yourself on.

Lauren

South Wye Hereford - Welcome to Lauren

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St Martin’s, South Wye

Grand Spring Draw - Advance Notice We will be holding an online Grand Draw on the 5th of May. Tickets are still available if you are able to sell some and we will be grateful for draw prizes.

St Martin’s Bonus Ball Scheme The next payment for the bonus ball scheme is due at the beginning of April, for the period April-October 2021. If you do not pay by standing order, could you please pay your £26 for each ball held, to the office by cash or cheque. (Cheques payable to St Martin with St Francis Roof Account). Alternatively you can be pay online to sort code 30-80-55, account number 42121368. There are extra numbers available if you want to increase your chances of winning. Contact either myself on 07754952053 or email suecockroft@googlemail.com, or Gillian Farlow, Treasurer, on 01432 275107 Many thanks for your continued support,

Sue Cockroft.

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St Peter’s Bullinghope and St Martin’s Ross Road

Return to On-site Worship

We hope to return to on-site Sunday services at St Martin’s and St Peter’s from Easter Sunday. We plan to have services at 9:30am at St Martin’s and at 11:15am at St Peter’s each Sunday, but please keep an eye on the newsletter in case this has to change at any time.

Our on-line services will continue on the St Martin’s and St Peter’s Facebook pages and St Martin’s YouTube Channel on Sundays. The 9:30am service will be live streamed and then edited to include hymns and go online on Sunday afternoons To listen to an audio version of the Sunday service, call 01432 806066 from lunchtime on Sunday – the service will be available for the whole week. Until restrictions lift further, it will still be necessary to book in for on-site services, through the office, so that we can plan safe seating. Please email office@stmartinshereford.org.uk or check the weekly newsletter or websites for updates. For some weeks the restrictions will mean that we have to keep the services short, receive communion in one kind only, wear face coverings in church and maintain social distancing between households. Congregational singing is not yet permitted in Church, although it is allowed out of doors.

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St Peter’s and St Martin’s Ross Road

Funerals in Church continue in accordance with regulations that stipulate no more than 30 to attend, no singing and masks to be worn in Church. These restrictions may be relaxed, but probably not for some time. Weddings are now permitted once again, but the number that can attend are still limited - please check with the office for up to date information. We are taking bookings for Baptism services starting in July - we are contacting families who have previously had to cancel a baptism, but please get in touch if you would like to book in or haven’t heard from us. Orders of Service for Sunday services, along with the weekly newsletter, copies of this magazine and an audio file of the Sunday service can be downloaded from the website http://www.stmartinshereford.org.uk If you would like to receive our weekly newsletter, either by email or post, please contact the office. The newsletter will also be available in Church on Sundays. Weekday services. Because our online Morning and Night Prayer services have been so popular over the last year and the services have been attended by far more people than the onsite services that were in place previously, we intend to maintain these services on-line . You are very welcome to join us for these services from Monday to Saturday, on the St Martin’s Facebook page - Morning Prayer at 8am and Night Prayer at 8pm—or you can watch the services later if that suits you better. Forthcoming special events and services. We hope that by the end of the Summer we will be able to return to having Memorial Services for those whose funerals we have taken. We will need to have several services, probably in November, in order to accommodate families who have been bereaved over the last year. We should then be able to return to a pattern of quarterly services. At Petertide, we will be welcoming Lauren, our new curate. Because we don’t yet know the capacity of the Cathedral for the congregation at the Ordinations, we are not yet sure how many people will be able to attend from the congregations or the impact that this will have on the Petertide celebrations at St Peter’s. As soon as this is clear, we will let everyone know the plans.

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Easter Story Biscuits for young children Prep. Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 1 day

Ingredients: You will need: 110 grams of pecan nuts large plastic bag 5 grams vinegar wooden spoon 3 egg whites mixing bowl tape 1 pinch salt Baking sheet Bible 200 grams sugar electric mixer baking parchment

Instructions: Preheat oven to 150C

Place pecans in the plastic bag and let the children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients are not very appetising…

Add sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the colour white represents Jesus’ innocence. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop batter by teaspoons onto non-stick baking parchment-covered baking sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put the baking sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave them in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers felt despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt 28:1-9.

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St Martin’s food share has been operating for a few month now sharing food three times a week with people from our local

community. Food is collected from supermarkets and national “FareShare” charity thanks to a grant from Herefordshire Community Fund.

The project aims to Reduce Waste, Reduce Poverty and Spread Joy by sharing food. Since the new year some of this food has been funded by DEFRA to support rural food aid projects such as this.

As we emerge from lockdown there will be opportunities for people to join the team collecting food from supermarkets and volunteering at the food share sessions. Please let me know if you’d like to help.

David 07563 382872

St Martin’s, South Wye

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How do we Celebrate Easter?

One of the things I’ve really enjoyed about parenthood, is the opportunity to build ritual and tradition into our

family’s life together. Tradition was not a huge part of my own childhood experience; my hardworking parents were often so exhausted that they lacked energy for such things. However, the traditions that we did have – like putting out a mince pie and a glass of sherry for Santa on Christmas Eve – have not only stayed with me, but also made their way into my own family. Tradition and ritual have been part of our history since we first walked the earth. There is within us, it seems, a need to build meaningful moments into our lives. Such moments, experts believe, are genuinely important. Amongst other benefits, traditions serve to bond families across the generations, giving children a sense of belonging and helping them to feel secure through the sense of continuity they bring. Traditions can also be a helpful way of passing on faith within our families. My kids can get tired of repeatedly listening to the same Bible stories, often groaning at stories they’ve heard many times. When reading a particular story becomes a tradition, however, their response can change. Take for example, the Nativity, a story they’ve heard each December of their lives. If ever there was a story they might get bored of, the Nativity is it; however, when we read the Nativity aloud on Christmas Eve, sitting by the fire, with mugs of hot chocolate, it is as profound as the very first time we read it. With this in mind, and with Holy Week upon us, I want to encourage you to build faith-based traditions into your Easter celebrations. For me, Easter is a particularly significant time to include such traditions, since they create a safe framework in which children can explore the very difficult themes which Easter raises. If faith has always been at the centre of your family’s Easter observance, it won’t be too challenging to build upon that foundation. However, if your Easter has been primarily about chocolate, chicks and bunnies, you might be wondering where on earth to begin. First of all, I want to urge you NOT to ditch your current traditions; children will not be encouraged in their faith journeys if they think Jesus is the reason the Easter bunny no longer comes. Instead, add to the rituals you have already created. Perhaps the Easter bunny could bring some chocolate pebbles along with the eggs, to remind the children of the stone which was rolled away from Jesus’ tomb?

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Perhaps you could add to your traditional Easter morning egg hunt with a numbered trail of hollow eggs, which include both chocolate and extracts from the Easter story? It’s not about taking things away but adding a depth to them. Only you will know what kinds of activities will engage your family, but be assured that there are a range of resources out there to suit everyone. Pinterest is always helpful in searching out new ideas, and a Google search for ‘Christian Easter activities for kids’ will reward you with many fantastic links to follow up. I couldn’t resist a bit of a search myself; I’ve included some of my favourites for you below.

On Palm Sunday, create your own re-enactment of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Make a simple donkey from a broom and a stuffed sock, dress Jesus up in sheets and have a crowd wave him on his way with leafy branches. Shout or sing hosanna to welcome King Jesus into the city.

Make an Easter garden. Add a flowerpot tomb and a rock that can be rolled across the entrance. On Good Friday, make three stick crosses and place them beside the tomb. On Easter morning, decorate your garden with flowers, eggs, chicks and whatever other signs of new life you can think of. Roll away the stone; Jesus is risen.

Make hot cross buns together on Good Friday. Talk about how every part of the buns is symbolic. The cross on the top reminds us of Jesus’ crucifixion, the spices remind us of the spices put on his body before burial, and the sweet fruit reminds us of the good news that he is risen and gives us many the fruit of his spirit if we follow and trust in Him.

Read the Easter story together, in parts, throughout Holy Week. Reflect on the story with these Godly-Play style questions:

• I wonder what part of the story you like most?

• I wonder what part of the story is most important?

• I wonder what part of the story we could miss out and still have all the story we need?

• I wonder where you might be in this story?

• I wonder what you would like to do in response to this story?

• I wonder what items you might chose to represent this story?

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Greet each other on Easter morning with the exchange: “He is risen/ He is risen indeed.”

Give each other something new to wear (socks are a favourite here) as an Easter present. Talk about how Jesus gives us new life, but that we have to put it on, almost like a pair of socks. Talk about what that might look and feel like.

Make resurrection eggs to hide as part of your Easter egg hunt. Use hollow plastic eggs from the pound shop and search online for printable cards to put in each one.

Sign up for our amazing Club Superstars Holy Week pack (here are some of the crafts and makes from the Lent pack - what did you make with yours?)

Jo

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23rd April: St George of the Golden Legend One of the advantages of St George as a patron Saint that I have to talk about to the Scouts each year is that there are so many different versions of his story to unpack. This is one of those versions - Anne The Saint of an English Army before he was Patron Saint of England, St George may have been a soldier, but he was no Englishman. Some stories say that he was an officer in the Roman army under Diocletian, who refused to abandon his faith during the Terror, and was martyred at Lydda in Palestine about the year 300 AD – supposedly 23rd April. Over the years St George became the example of a Christian fighting-man, a powerful helper against evil powers affecting indi-vidual lives. He was the soldier-hero of the Middle Ages, of whom remarkable deeds were reported. In the Golden Legend of the 13th century, Jacobus de Voragine gave St George a handsome write-up. The story runs thus: One day, St George rode up to the heathen city of Sylene in Lybia, where he found the citizens in great distress. A neighbouring dragon had forced them to surrender two sheep each day for its dinner, and when the sheep gave out, two of their children; and now they were about to sacrifice the King’s daughter, dressed as if for her wedding. St George encountered the little party by a stagnant lake, where the dragon lived, and per-suaded the sobbing Princess to tell him why she was so miserable. At that mo-ment the dragon appeared, looking inexpressibly revolting. St George charged forwards and drove his spear into the dragon’s gaping mouth. To everyone’s amazement, he tumbled the monster over and over. Then St George borrowed the Princess’s girdle, tied it round the dragon’s neck, and persuaded her to lead it back to Sylene herself. The sight of her approaching with the befuddled dragon on its makeshift lead emptied the town. When the in-habitants timidly crept back, St George promised to behead the dragon if they would all believe in Jesus Christ and be baptised. It was a most effective form of evangelism, for everybody said ‘yes’ at once. So, 15,000 people were baptised, and four carts were commissioned to remove the dragon’s body. St George thus became a symbol of the war against evil, and he is usually por-trayed trampling the dragon of sin under his horse’s hoofs. The Crusaders had a vision of him helping them against the Saracens at Antioch, during the first Cru-sade, and so brought the story of St George back with them from Pales-tine. Presently England put herself under the protection of the Saint. His day was declared a holiday in 1222. A red cross on a white field is the flag of St George.

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Those who are ill or in need of your prayers, including: Gaynor C Ann W Carol Lee Roger Dot G Marcia R Oliver Chrissie Hana Joe D Nick D Brenda B Immie B Bob Harry Helen Viv Andrea Marie Emma Marcia Beris BarbaraW Daphne Yvonne Rob Marian Doris David Belinda Mel Victoria Veronica Derek Those who have died and those who mourn their loss: Those who have died and those who mourn their loss: Eileen Jeannette Gordon Pamela Clifford Leslie Edward William Ronald Simon Phillip Josie Stephen Brian Margaret Brian Anthony Joan Couples preparing for marriage and families planning Baptism services The Diocesan Follow! Prayer God who in Jesus calls us - open hearts and minds to your invitation. God of the pilgrim way - be our companion day by day. God of the still, small voice - teach us to pray. Grant that in our calling, our following, our pilgrimage we may see your kingdom of truth and peace - and delight to bring others to your love. We make this prayer through Jesus, the Lord. Amen Watch, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight, and give your angels and saints charge over those who sleep. Tend your sick ones, O Lord Christ. Rest your weary ones. Bless your dying ones. Soothe your suffering ones. Pity your afflicted ones. Shield your joyous ones, and all for your love's sake. Amen.

Attributed to St. Augustine A prayer for all those affected by coronavirus Keep us, good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy. Sustain and support the anxious, be with those who care for the sick, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may find comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

For our Prayers

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Doodle Box

Coffee Time

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ACROSS 8 ‘He poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the — ’ (Isaiah 53:12) (13) 9 ‘When they had sung a hymn, they went — to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30) (3) 10 Comes between Galatians and Philippians (9) 11 ‘Your heart will — and swell with joy’ (Isaiah 60:5) (5) 13 Muslim holy month (7) 16 Ten ears (anag.) (7) 19 Under (poetic abbrev.) (5) 22 How Abram described himself to God when he complained that his inheritance would pass to a servant (Genesis 15:2) (9) 24 ‘Go to the — , you sluggard’ (Proverbs 6:6) (3) 25 Debar from receiving Communion (13)

DOWN 1 My — for His Highest (Oswald Chambers’ best-known book) (6) 2 Festival of the resurrection (6) 3 ‘His sons will prepare for war and — a great army’ (Daniel 11:10) (8) 4 ‘Let not the — string his bow’ (Jeremiah 51:3) (6) 5 Name of the River Thames in and around Oxford (4) 6 ‘From then on Judas watched for an opportunity — — him over’ (Matthew 26:16) (2,4) 7 ‘But Christ is faithful — — — over God’s house’ (Hebrews 3:6) (2,1,3) 12 Long-handled implement used to till the soil (Isaiah 7:25) (3) 14 Order to which monks and nuns devote themselves (8) 15 Appropriate (Proverbs 15:23) (3) 16 I, uncle (anag.) (6) 17 ‘They gave him — — of broiled fish’ (Luke 24:42) (1,5) 18 ‘Weren’t there three men that we - -and threw into the fire?’ (Dan3:24) (4,2) 20 Mountain where Noah’s ark came to rest (Genesis 8:4) (6) 21 ‘Don’t you know that friendship with the world is — towards God?’ (James 4:4) (6) 23 Prominent architectural feature of large cathedrals such as St Paul’s (4) The Bible version used in our crosswords is the NIV. Crosswords reproduced by kind permission of BRF and John Capon,

Last Month’s Solution

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We welcome all gifts of food or donations of money. We are short of tinned meat, rice (tinned and dry), tinned custard, tinned spaghetti, toothpaste (adult) and men's toiletries (we currently have plenty of baked beans, pasta, tomatoes and soup). During the Covid crisis donations CANNOT be brought to our premises at 41 Monkmoor Street. We have a temporary food donation point The Kindle Centre, Belmont Rd, Hereford HR2 7JE (next to Asda). We are open from the 5th January. Please check our website closer to the time for our new location. . There are donation points in nearly all the supermarkets in Hereford: Co-op, Waitrose, Sainsburys, Morrisons, Lidl, Asda and Tesco at Bewell St. and Belmont. Large donations from businesses or associations can be accepted but it would help if you phone in advance to make arrangements. Donations of money can be in cash or by cheque made out to "The Hereford Food Bank" or you can visit our Facebook page to make an online donation. Alternatively you could set up a payment directly to our CAF Bank account - the sort code is 40-52-40 and the account number is 00030491 and the name of the account is The Hereford Food Bank. If you are a UK taxpayer, your donations can be gift aided, please complete a gift aid form and all future gifts will be included in your declaration. Cheques and gift aid forms can be posted to The Hereford Food Bank, 41, Monkmoor Street, Hereford, HR1 2DX.

(Our Charity Ref.No. is 1170826) Do you know that you can support us by shopping at Amazon Smile? There is no cost to you but we receive 0.5% of the purchase price. Please select Hereford Food Bank on Amazon Smile.

Acts of Kindness

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Every six seconds somebody in the UK contacts Samaritans for help. Whether it’s by phone, email or letter, Samaritan volunteers are available to support anyone struggling to cope, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Most people go through difficult times, and contacting someone who won’t judge about what’s troubling you, no matter how large or small the issue feels, can really help. Suicide is not inevitable, it is preventable. and we know that suicidal thoughts are often temporary and can be interrupted, so finding our contact details could make all the difference. Samaritans Herefordshire Branch want to raise awareness of the 24/7 emotional support available, to as many people as possible in our local area during this especially difficult time. Phone free on 116 123 Email jo@samaritans.org.uk

Update – Spring 2021

After nearly 6 years of collecting aid and delivering it to refugees in Northern Europe and across the world we are taking a break from collecting aid items.

Brexit, COVID and the changing situation in the camps means that we have a massive backlog to sort before moving home later in the year. Thanks to the generosity of people across Herefordshire, Worcestershire and the whole region 100s of van loads of aid have been sent. Well Done!

We will continue to advocate, raise funds and support volunteers. We will occasionally ask for donations of particular items, such as sleeping bags – so keep your eyes open.

Changing news priorities have resulted in the appearance that all is well in Northern Europe; this is far from the truth. There are 1500 refugees sleeping rough through the winter on wasteland around Calais, Dunkirk and further afield. Funded by the UK government the French police confiscate and destroy any tents or make-shift shelters used to provide protection from the elements, so the work done by Care4Calais, Utopia56, Collective Aid, Refugee Women’s Centre, Mobile Refugee Support and many other small organisations is more important than ever.

Please keep praying for refugees and those who Choose Love working to support them.

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Win’s Country Diary

“When the wind is in the East, it’s neither fit for man nor beast” (nor young lambs either) Along with warm rain, soft breezes, longer days and Wordworths daffodils, April brings lambs; fields full of them. On holdings in the valleys where young spring grass is early, lambs are born in sheds where they can be tended after birth - the ewes will have been scanned in the late autumn, separated according to the number of lambs they are carrying and fed accordingly. They will have been housed before Christmas and carefully nursed; at birth the lambs are penned with their mothers, numbered (to know who belongs to who) and any surplus triplets or quads are penned separately and fed with a milk supplement. When the weather is right they are turned out to grass. Meanwhile up on the hills smaller, hardier ewes have been all winter - probably scanned after Christmas and any twins kept nearer home to be given extra feed. Come March the ewes are gathered from the hills, bought down nearer the farm, given some supplementary feed and every one waits hoping for good weather. These ewes will find some sheltered spot and give birth - the lambs are usually very lively and up and feeding in no time . Someone will be quietly going through the lambing field and dealing with any problems. To spend half an hour of a spring evening watching lambs chase each other, turn and chase each other back with one or two jumping two foot in the air is just a delight. As you stand quiet for moment or two the different bleats of the ewes will become apparent and after awhile her lambs will join her and they will go and find somewhere out of the wind and settle down for the night.

Win

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Anniversaries The first British Prime Minister Robert Walpole became the first British Prime Minister 300 years ago, on 3rd April 1721. It was a title he rejected, but historians agree that he effectively created that office for himself. He was one of the greatest politicians in British history, but he had intended to be a clergyman, until his older brother Edward died in 1698, leaving him responsible for the considerable Walpole estate. His country seat was Houghton Hall in Norfolk, which he used as a base for generous, sometimes extravagant hospitality and built up an impressive art collection, most of which was later sold and now resides in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. Another part of his legacy is 10 Downing Street, which was offered to him personally by George II, but which he accepted as the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury. He was knighted in 1726 and made Earl of Orford on his resignation in 1742. His skills as an orator and negotiator played a significant role in sustaining the Whig party over a long period, and in ensuring the Hanoverian succession. He rebuilt the tower of the medieval church on his Houghton estate as a memorial to his grandfather. Our first ever National Park Seventy years ago, on 17th April 1951, the Peak District National Park was established. It was Britain’s first national park, and it was formed partly as a result of a mass trespass on Kinder Scout – the highest point of the park – just under 20 years earlier, which helped gain open access to moorland that had previously been in private hands and closed to walkers. The precise effect and extent of the trespass, in which Young Communists were prominent, is still widely disputed by rambling associations. The Peak District is mostly in Derbyshire, but includes parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire and Yorkshire. It is usually split into the higher Dark Peak and the gentler White Peak, in the centre and south of the district. Altogether it covers 555 square miles: it is reckoned that 20 million people live within an hour’s journey of it. It contains only one town – Bakewell – but several others, such as Buxton, are on the fringes. It is now the fifth largest of the 13 national parks in England and Wales. The land within it is a mixture of public and private ownership, and there are many planning restrictions imposed by the national park authority to prevent inappropriate development.

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Community First’s oil buying group.

Community First is a long established charity, in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, with aims to support strong and vibrant rural communities. Great value and convenience. In 2013, we set up a bulk buying group for heating oil for anyone in the two counties. The scheme keeps money in the local economy, builds a greater sense of community and cooperation and helps tackle fuel poverty. Over the years, with hundreds of members, we have saved many thousands of pounds across both counties. How does it work? At the end of each month we collate orders placed by our members and negotiate with a number of suppliers. Our savings are often between 2p and 4p a litre against the average English price and can be much more against local individual quotes. Our prices are the same for 500 as for 1500 which is good for spreading your costs. To register your interest or ask a question please contact info@comfirst.org.uk or ring Richard on 07515 881231. Membership costs £20 per year. We are very happy to work with established local groups too for instance by sharing good practice and energy efficiency tips. More details can be found at www.comfirst.org.uk

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God in the Sciences

This series is written by Dr Ruth M Bancewicz, who is Church Engagement Director at The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge. Ruth writes on the positive relationship between Science and Christian faith.

Science and Society: How Can We Approach New Ethical Issues? Science tells us how the world works, and technology offers applications of that knowledge, but neither can tell us what we ought to do. All scientific discoveries or new technologies can be used to either help or harm others. For example, a smartphone can be used to stay in touch but also enables bullying. It is important to get past our initial reactions: the ‘yuk!’ or ‘wow!’ These feelings may well change once we learn more about the science and other factors behind a new development. Ethical thinking can be divided into three main categories. The consequentialist approach is demonstrated in Proverbs, when Wisdom calls young men to consider the outcome of their actions. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialist ethic that tries to maximise the greatest good for the largest number of people affected, but unchecked it leaves minorities out in the cold.

Duty or law-based ethics start with intrinsic values, asking what is the correct course of action, or our duty? These values might be God-given, such as the ten commandments, or worked out by human reason. It is possible, however, to do harm while obeying the law, especially if someone asks ‘What can I get away with?’ Also, what happens when rules collide? For example, who should be treated first when resources are limited?

Virtue ethics are about building character, growing in wisdom and the fruit of the Spirit. There are plenty of biblical principles to guide virtuous living, such as the idea that we are ‘made in the image of God’ which supports the value of every human life (e.g., Genesis 1:26–27, Genesis 9:6, James 3:9–10), but the right decision can vary depending on circumstances

So how can we make ethical decisions about new technologies? The five Cs bring together a number of different types of ethical thinking into a helpful framework for decision-making. Clarify the facts and key questions. Consider our choices: what could we achieve? Constraints: External - what must we do? ; Internal - how should we behave? Compare the pros and cons of each approach. Choose what is best, with all parties in mind.

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New bishop for the environment appointed The Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher, is to lead the Church of England’s Environment Programme with a charge to lead bold, deliberate, collaborative action across the Church to tackle the grave existential crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Bishop Graham will work with the Mission and Public Affairs department of the Church of England, continuing the commitment to net-zero carbon impacts across the Church of England by 2030 set by General Synod in February 2020. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: “This will be a key year for the UK’s approach to climate change internationally.” In June, the UK will host the G7. In November, Glasgow will host COP26. The Environment Bill will be coming to Parliament. “Now is the time for bold, deliberate, collaborative action.” Bishop Graham said: “Responding to the climate and biodiversity crises is not a luxury in the ministry of the Church, but an urgent imperative for our mission.” Churches are being encouraged to raise their voice to speak up about the need to tackle climate change across the whole of society through the Climate Sunday initiative, starting by holding their own climate focused service.

Church moves forward on carbon reduction target The first findings from a nationwide study to capture carbon impacts in the Church of England have been published, a year on from a vote committing the Church to net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The Energy Footprint Tool (EFT) is a simple dashboard which has been piloted by churches keen to reduce their carbon footprint. Data in the report reveal: • that nearly 5,000 churches submitted data • that five per cent of churches sampled were already net-zero carbon • that 12.5 per cent carbon reduction has already been made across the

country, when compared with a comparative, although smaller, 2006 study. The estimated total net carbon footprint for the Church of England’s church buildings (based on energy use alone) is around 185,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases, measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or tCO2e. The tool, launched early last year, provides advice to parishes who have entered their data about how to take further steps and an appliance-style energy rating showing how the church compares to others of a similar size.

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Nap Time A short nap in the afternoon improves your memory and keeps your

brain more agile. People who nap tend to speak more fluently, have greater mental agility, and remember things better than those who do not break up their day with sleep. Even a five-minute nap can offer your brain a chance to down-time and replenish itself, so that it is ‘good to go’ again. If you want longer than five minutes, try to stop at 40 minutes, before you enter the deepest stage of sleep. If you do carry on, sleep for two hours, which is a full sleep-cycle. The study was published in the British Medical Journal.

Movement over mind? Exercise can be just as effective as mindfulness

when it comes to reducing your stress and anxiety. Such is the conclusion of a recent study at Cambridge University. Mindfulness is a form of meditation which involves focussing your thoughts and sensations, and it has become popular in recent years. But now Cambridge University experts say that it should not be assumed that meditation will always have a positive impact. Instead, people can reap mental benefits from physical exercise. As one doctor said: “The main message here is, don’t assume mindfulness will work. We have much more evidence for the mental and physical benefits of physical exercise.” Last year it was found that people who exercised for 30 to 60 minutes at a time, for two to six hours a week, recorded the fewest days of poor mental health per month.

The good news about your forgetfulness You know the scenario –

you go into the lounge, and then wonder what you wanted. Or you need to make a phone call but can’t find the phone. You go to the cash point and forget your pin number. Or your car keys are lost in the kitchen, but even when you find them and go shopping, you forget stuff on the list. If at times you find yourself living in an annoying brain-fog, the good news is that it is not because you are ill or get-ting old. To varying extents, everyone does it. A recent study at the University of Edinburgh has found that forgetfulness is as common in people in their 20s as it is in people in their 50s. Although some of the people in the study were worried about getting dementia, a neuropsychiatrist at the university reassured them: “People think that if you are starting to forget things – something like misplacing your keys – that is something to worry about. But it is normal.” Good reasons for forgetting things range from the fact that too much was happening in your life at the time, you were stressed about something, not paying attention to what you were doing, or just too busy thinking about something else entirely.

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Meet The Team

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Anne Dowdeswell Team Rector. Hereford South Wye (St Martin’s and St Peter’s) 07864 938898

Administrative Assistant

Sharron Brown

Intergenerational Missioners (Job Share)

Penny Littlewood Associate Minister. Hereford South Wye (St Martin’s and St Peter’s) Contact through the office please - 01432 353717

Team Office Staff

Clergy

Jo Child

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David Bland 07563 382872 David.bland@hereford.anglican.org

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