Remembrance is not just about the fallen... https://youtu.be/OvZO8ZB45-YI added some pictures and captions and turned the audio interview into a video - it includes some pictures he took whilst a prisoner of war. Remembrance_Day - a link to some more stories :) I was lucky enough to find a cassette tape of an interview my father did for the South Birmingham News paper for the Blind which he edited for many years after he retired from training teachers. In it he describes his experiences of being a prisoner of war following his capture while holding back the enemy forces while the evacuation of Dunkirk took place. My father spent from 1938 to 1946 serving in the Royal Cameron Highlanders, my mother, who gave up a career as an operatic dancer served in the WRAF as a radar operator..... and my Aunty Betty (a nurse) remained unmarried for her long life time following the death of her beloved "Scotty" - an ANZAC who dies in WW1 - they are representative of millions who sacrificed much and we remember them as we commemorate the fallen on Remembrance day. Do have a look at Peter Coster's thought-provoking reflections on Remembrance and the evening prayer readings for Sunday...... https://www.readers-chaplain.org.uk/peter-costers-thoughts-for-each-day/ and....Bob's hymn of the day for Remembrance .... here! More Stories Here- Some more about Betty and Scotty, mother's move from dancer to radar operator etc from a powerpoint I did for a service a couple of years ago. What Do Readers need form the CMD programme - and...... what Might they offer? At last Monday morning's Reader's Zoom we were pleased to welcome Rebecca Evans the Diocesan Ministry Development Officer who listened patiently while we talked about what we needed for CMD / courses / training. Rebecca writes: We are currently planning our CMD programme within Truro diocese from January 2021 onwards. You may be aware that currently we are delivering this training via Zoom and it is open to Clergy and Readers to attend. We would be delighted to hear from anyone who would like to deliver a session, perhaps if you have experience or expertise in a specific area you might like to be involved. Details of our current programme are available here: https://trurodiocese.org.uk/resources/ministry/cmd/ you will notice along the top the various themed headings under which the different CMD topics fit. If you would like to be involved or just find out a bit more please do get in touch – Rebecca.Evans@truro.anglican.org Kind regards Rebecca The Development and Support of Reader Ministry in Cornwall The Readers committee meets once every six months and the readers in each deanery are represented by their Deanery Reader Stewards. Some deaneries like St Austell have a very lively group of Readers who meet on a regular basis, other deaneries where they might only have a few readers, or a lot of readers on light duties do very little and the DRS is largely superfluous. I posed a question asking if there was any place in modern reader ministry for the DRS considering that with electronic…
Just a draft at the moment!! I have had a ZOOM break this week though obviously not a break from the computer altogether. The last few months has been full on and as my wife will readily testify I have always found small talk and social situations something of a challenge. :) Having said that I have counted the morning 9am daily ZOOM prayer a blessing and ZOOM Sunday services I have found surprisingly thought-provoking, moving and spirit-filled whereas the couple of services I have attended in church have proved less efficacious because of the masks and odd situation. So I shall be back zooming at the weekend - hopefully at home relaying the service from St Andrews...... but if I have to be in church... well as all readers, I will do what's needed. Last Saturday morning we had the six monthly meeting of the Readers committee with +Hugh in the chair. It is the committee when the Deanery Reader Stewards meet with the Warden, deputy warden, secretary, and assorted others including the chaplain. We covered some interesting topics this time. More on the role of the DRS next week.... but at the bottom of this page more on the annual survey- including a better formatted version of the anonymised comments section. Results of the Annual Reader Survey 2020 2020Annual Return Report 2Click the title to see the statistical side of the report. What conclusions would you draw?More importantly, how do you think church policy should change in response to the report.? 2020 comments summary readers annual survey r2 - a link to the comments section which is really worth reading. Reader Graham Downes (St Austell DRS) asked if anything happened as a result of the survey. My answer was that it was certainly talked about a good deal in all sorts of situations Probably sorting out the plight of an individual has more tangible results than maters of policy or universal issues. However, clergy not understanding readers is hopefully being addressed in the long terms with Readers training alongside clergy these days. Saturday marks the first post licensing training event for those recently licensed which is being organised by reader Martin Adams with the rather grand title of Director of Post Licensing training. As chaplain I shall drop in towards the end of the day on ZOOM but I am leaving them to it for the fist sessions so that I can go to Trebah gardens for a socially distanced walk with the grandchildren. Last Sunday I preached.... at the Ecumenical 'Café church' service hosted by Camborne Wesley Methodist Church for the local Methodist circuit. It was wonderful to see so many churches from both communities worshiping together for Bible Sunday and I was relieved to get some good feedback afterwards from a number of them. We readers pour a lot of ourselves and our energy into the services we do often without any comment at all and it is so refreshing when people say that it made them think, or that it…
On Challenge and Common Sense....Reading the news seems a minefield these days and when it is filtered by Social Media the possibilities for disastrous conclusions are amplified many times over. Only this morning, the Times reported that it had uncovered a Russian Fake News plot to discredit the Oxford Covid vaccine trials by spreading false rumours in the countries where it hoped to sell its own vaccine.Each day friends of different political persuasions express opinions about from how we deal with the current pandemic and the likely consequences to the efficacy of wearing a mask etc etc and many of them quote 'scientists' and other 'experts' to back up their often contradictory arguments. Without grinding any particular axe or position in the debate I would suggest that it is as well to remember that scientists and other experts are human too and just because science says something now does not mean that it will not be disproved in the future ….. or it might be confirmed. Take some of the following famous quotations from experts:"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." -- Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977"While theoretically and technically television may be feasible, commercially and financially it is an impossibility." -- Lee DeForest, inventor"Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?" -- M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927."It will be years -- not in my time -- before a woman will become Prime Minister." -- Margaret Thatcher, 1974."I see no good reasons why the views given in this volume should shock the religious sensibilities of anyone." -- Charles Darwin, The Origin Of Species, 1869."There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would mean that the atom would have to be shattered at will." -- Albert Einstein, 1932"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." -- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943."Louis Pasteur's theory of germs is ridiculous fiction." -- Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872.Not only are people fallible, they are also influenced by the world around them. A study on respiratory diseases by a tobacco company sponsored research project might lead us to be rightly sceptical of its findings, just as would a an environmental impact report by a Brazilian logging company.My point? Let’s encourage people to question, to challenge and to use common sense. Arguing ourselves into a corner is not helpful and we need to be open to challenging ourselves and our own stances too. Is there a knock-on effect for preaching?Licensing Service(s) The Annual Service for the Readers (licensed Lay Ministers) of the diocese was very different this year being entirely online using ZOOM. It proved to be a heart-warming and thought-provoking experience with much joyous chat both before and after the service.Bishop Hugh led the service and licensed Roy Cooper from the Calllington Cluster and reaffirmed the licenses of those who had been able to attend the small service in the Cathedral the week before.Debbie Crocker to the Tamar Valley BeneficeMatt Frost…
https://youtu.be/8e--Z_alCxUThe picture above is at the end of the service - the happy faces as Roy puts on his newly awarded Reader's Scarf. (Roy is 2nd from the top on the far right! To the left is the video of the whole service. At about 12:30 I breathed a huge sigh o relief that the service had gone well, poured myself a beer and collapsed in the conservatory. There were no major technical hitches, the internet, my wi-fi and my computer had all behaved themselves and the service seemed to have been well received with many cheery faces at the end. It is one of the delights of ZOOM that one can see faces rather than the back of people's heads.The next bit is the official 'what happened and to whom' section!The Annual Service for the Readers (licensed Lay Ministers) of the diocese was very different this year being entirely online using ZOOM. It proved to be a heart-warming and thought-provoking experience with much joyous chat both before and after the service.Bishop Hugh led the service and licensed Roy Cooper from the Calllington Cluster and reaffirmed the licenses of those who had been able to attend the small service in the Cathedral the week before.Debbie Crocker to the Tamar Valley BeneficeMatt Frost to the Benefice of St Germans and SheviokPenny Leach to the Roseland and St MawesSandy Massie to St Keverne, St Ruan, St Grade and Landewednack andDebbie Mitchell to All Saints Highertown and Baldhu.Two Readers came into the diocese and were also part of the serviceChris Clark (PTO) and Michael Waring who is licensed to serve in Poughill & Killhamptonn with Morwenstowe as well as Stratton and LAucells.Liz Lane, who was herself licensed as a Reader only last year preached the sermo and new Reader Roy Cooper led the intercessions.It was also good to be able to thank the Readers who have served in the Diocese but whose services have been lost in the last twelve months. In the last year two Readers have died; Graham Hindle and Lesley Boyden and a number of Readers are, through varying circumstances, no longer ministering Brenton Blandford,Gloria Street,Margaret DuPlessey,Nina Batley,Angela Hooper,Molly Brown,Tess Dean,Miriam Jones,Lyn Curnow,Chris Kingshott andGarth Wright.The slides of the service can be found in PDF format at the following link. reader service 2020 PDF Slides Liz Lane's Sermon for Readers' Service - 20th September and 10th October 2020 – St Neot and Zoom Romans 8:31-39 and Luke 12:22-34 Lord, guide my lips, Lord open my heart, let written and spoken words reveal to us your Word. In the name of our redeemer, teacher and friend, Jesus Christ. Amen When I was first approached to preach this sermon, in Truro cathedral for the Readers' Service, it was January. Lots of ideas came into my head; I asked the class of 2019, all with strong opinions, for their thoughts on readings, and I had nearly made my mind up about what this sermon would be about. Then...the world shifted on its axis, and I stopped thinking about a sermon to…
"So..... Jim..... you have done a lot on getting church services online.... we are thinking of trying it... can you give any advice?""Er....... yes.... well I'll get back to you!"The main thing about this venture is that it'smainly about experiment, patience and good humour.... what can go wrong will go wrong but the benefits far outweigh the potential mishaps. By far the best part of ZOOMing, live facebook and YouTube has been the love and friendship shown by those we are trying to reach who put up with the odd disasters and give much encouragement..... it's the best of Christian church folk. the pictures are a bit of the collection of cables and gadgets which we tried..... last Sunday Caspar and I were sure we had it covered with a hard wire link into the church broadband and a long cable.... it was dreadful..... what can go wrong will go wrong. Keep smiling. So after reading that you still want to know about how to get your services on line- or at least to reach the congregation that traditional forms of church building services cannot reach......... read on. In this little article I am going to look at the following things:Zoom (and whether to zoom from home or from church)Using FaceBookUsing YouTubeEquipment you might need and something about costs.If you have a mobile phone with a 4G wi-fi connection and a reasonable amount of data on your contract- the simplest method is to use Facebook or YouTube point your camera at the church action broadcasting to those folks who can find the links. Alternatively you can record the service using a smart phone and then post it online on Facebook or YouTube..... and once on YouTube you can send links to it by email or include it on your website much as I do every week with the hymns from Bob's hymn of the week. What you do not get with either of the above is interaction. Viewers, for that is what they are, rather than congregation members, have the feeling they are looking in at what is happening without actually feeling part of the action. That is where ZOOM comes in! Our Morning Prayer Congregation which on most days is about a dozen faithful souls has been a joyous revelation but church buildings do not usually figure in the proceedings as it is nearly always folks logging in from home and led by a different member of the ministry team each day, usually from home. The advantages of a comfortable chair, a hot drink, warm surroundings , no travel and no social distancing issues make it an attractive service! But..... how do you do it?There is much written on ZOOM elsewhere so I wont go into detail but all you need is a compatible computer, laptop, tablet or phone and a ZOOM account. The host creates a link and lets everyone have access to it... you log on and worship / pray and in our morning prayer..... laugh. We could just…
St Martin-in-Meneage Mattins 11.10.20 My text today is taken from John 14, Chapter 1: Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. These words occur between the Last Supper and Gethsemane when Jesus is giving his final teaching to the disciples. He knows that the hour of his Passion has arrived but Peter won’t accept this. Jesus is saying ‘Let me do what is needful now. I do this for my Father in heaven and for the whole world. You don’t understand yet, Peter, but you will. It is only I that can do this work. So please, ‘Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.’ The period since March, when this pandemic first affected us, has been a time when many of us have felt troubled and sometimes afraid. The risks of catching Covid 19 are very different for different people, as we know. Some of us now have to live with the rather ominous label of being ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ in pandemic times and are still having to be very cautious. This in spite of the fact that others seem to have returned something like ‘normal life’, at least until the recent upsurge in infection Covid rates. Most people have been meeting with friends and family, going shopping, enjoying a meal out or a drink in the pub, or even going on holiday. As is now being recognised, this is causing conflict and division in our communities and in wider society. And even between us Christians in the Church of England. Some people feel able to return to a gathering in church like this, whilst others think the risks are too high, especially when Covid cases are once again on the increase. It is just a fact that the risks are not the same for every person, so there is no cut and dried advice that can satisfy every member of society. This is a situation which we simply cannot completely control – which upsets all our apple carts and threatens our fantasies of human power and freedom. Psychologically, and spiritually, this seems to affect us in three main ways:I might turn inward, become worried, anxious, depressed. (GP diagnoses of depression have increased threefold during the pandemic period so far.) This can mean that I forget that God is with me. My heart is It’s hard to believe that God still loves this broken world. I have had times like this. Like when I got the dreaded letter telling me that I should ‘shield myself’ for three months; and when someone we knew died after catching the virus; or when Bob and I were trying to decide if it was safe enough for us to return to church on Sundays; and now when things look set to get worse again over the winter.Another response is to turn my fears outwards and blame other people. It’s they who are responsible for spreading the virus, those university students or all those people…
Lots of folks are coming up for Safeguarding retraining and there will be lots of people who need training following APCMs -so here is where to find the training! ........https://trurodiocese.org.uk/resources/safeguarding/training-safeguarding/The link to the Diocesan Safeguarding training courses. Before doing the C2 online ZOOM course – the c0 and C1 selfstudy online courses need to be completed: https://safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org From the All Saints Highertown Newsletter:Live-streamed Reader Licensing SATURDAY OCTOBER 3rd AT 11am Debbie M , Debbie C, Matt, Sandy, and PennyThis event will be broadcast on the Diocese of Truro Facebook page St Euny Churchwarden Margaret was very taken by these words from a book she is currently reading:WHOLE BODY PRAYERMay our legs be strong and steadyMay our feet tread softly on the earthMay our stomach be small and softMay our belly be full of fireMay our heart be large and lovingMay our soul be simple and sereneMay our mind be calm and clearMay our spirit be free of fearMay our mouth mint sweet words and kind kissesMay our eyes see beauty below, beauty above and beauty all aroundMay our ears hear words of praise and music of the cosmosMay hour hands be generous in giving and grateful in receivingMay our arms find joy in embracingMay our body be a temple of love.SATISH KUMARI have been asked to remind you all of the Diocesan Continuing Ministerial Development (CMD) Offer. Please do have a look. We never stop learning. Training and CMD The World in which we Give: Teaching and Preaching on Generosity, Tuesday 13 October, 09:30am-12:30pmThis half day session will visit the theology of giving and generosity and preaching on generosity.Register here Time Management, Tuesday 6 October, 09:30am-11:00amDelivered by Sally Piper, Head of Ministry, this workshop session will offer tools, tips and practical skills for effective time management. Bring your ‘To Do’ list with you.Register here Franciscan Spirituality, Tuesday 20 October, 09:30am-11:30amFranciscan spirituality has three key focuses, our relationship with God, our relationship with each other, and our relationship with the whole of creation. We will be looking at how these ideas were developed by Francis, Clare and the early Francsicans and how these ideas have found new meaning within our modern times and expression in the Anglican Church. This will all be set within the question of how do we pass on our spiritual knowledge, and within the Franciscan context of storytelling, how this makes an ever-changing and evolving spirituality. Register here Billy Graham, the Cold War, and the revival of Evangelicalism in the Church of England, Tuesday 3 November 2020Bishops Study Day, Tuesday 17 November 2020Working in Teams, Tuesday 24 November 2020 Churches, communities & buildings during COVID and beyond This is an invitation to share your experience and insights in a confidential survey. The information and ideas gathered will help shape future planning and support churches across the country in caring for both congregations and wider communities in these very challenging and demanding times. It is supported by the Church of England/Historic England/Association of English Cathedrals/Historic Religious Buildings Alliance. Click here for more information and to complete the survey. CONTACT US Jonathan Rowe, Director of Ministry E jonathan.rowe@truro.anglican.org T 07517…
https://www.readers-chaplain.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/together-October-4th.pdf together October 4th
The impact of the coronavirus outbreak on our lives as a church family over the past six months has been immense. Who could have thought that we would have to close our church building, or that we would resume worship in such strange circumstances? One of the things I’ve missed most about not meeting physically in church is singing hymns, and I know I’m not alone. I want to reflect for just a few moments on what it is about hymns that makes them such a special part of our communal worship.I imagine that most of us grew up with hymns, and remember them in the deep and lasting way that we remember things learned in childhood. I can still hear my mother’s voice trilling away in the kitchen, ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus, / All our sins and griefs to bear!’ At the Salvation Army Sunday School I attended, we sang rousing hymns like ‘Stand Up! – Stand Up for Jesus’. On Sundays, metrical psalms were always part of the service, along with the great evangelical hymns.One of the earliest hymn writers in England was Isaac Watts, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, and he realised that the power of hymns is emotional and psychological as much as intellectual. He wrote hymns, he said, to give voice to ‘our Love, our Fear, our Hope’. These words sum up beautifully why hymns are so important in our lives and worship as Christians.In singing hymns, we express our love – for the Creator God, for our saviour Jesus Christ, for our fellow-Christians, and for our neighbours. We address through hymns our deepest fears – of suffering and death, of doubting our faith, of losing those we love. In singing hymns together, we find encouragement and hope. They strengthen our confidence that God cares about us and walks with us at every stage of life, and that a day will come when he will establish mercy and peace, truth and justice in his everlasting Kingdom. For about the last twenty weeks I’ve been sending Mary our churchwarden a hymn to include in her weekly emails to members of the church. I write a little paragraph about my chosen hymn, give a link to a performance on YouTube, and provide the words. Watching and listening to hymns on YouTube cannot of course replace the experience of singing them together in church. But I believe that it does something to keep the hymns we love alive in our minds and hearts. It perhaps encourages us pay more attention to the words – hymns are a form of poetry, after all, and the words matter. It is striking how ecumenical many hymns are. Protestants and Roman Catholics happily sing words written by Charles Wesley as well as John Henry Newman: they unite us in a way that practically nothing else does. I know from emails I’ve received that many people have appreciated these weekly hymns, and felt blessed by them. Sometimes a…
Having recovered from the stresses of the hybrid ZOOM from St Andrews, last week was back at home for a gentle ZOOM communion having abandoned St Euny as a ZOOM venue even with Bishop Hugh there! This Sunday is another experiment. The Rector, (Caspar) will be with the curate (Graham) leading the service from St Stephen's Treleigh. There will be a laptop in front of the Altar broadcasting all the spoken word, Caspar will be monitoring on another laptop which will also pick up a different view of the church and a portable loudspeaker will be attached for hymns. Meanwhile, I shall be at home with the ZOOM service, complete with hymns on a PowerPoint broadcasting to the folks at home and playing the hymns for those at home and those in church. Or at least, that is the plan. My desk set up for Sunday Service- weekday Morning prayer is rather simpler. I once joined in from my mobile phone on the top of Carn Brea...... I listened as I walked. The only problem was that the microphone unmuted in my pocket and all me cheery good-mornings were broadcast to the group until I realised and because it was my ZOOM account no-one could turn me off! oooops. I have not tried that again. The ZOOM services are worth working at and trying new things as I think they will be with us for the foreseeable future. While there are folk who cannot get to church but are able to get online there will always be a need. The future has to be breadth of provision and a move away from a narrow one service fits all diet.
As I am always advising other folk to look after themselves and to take a break occasionally, next week I am taking a break from all church activities and ZOOMing. (With the exception of a school governors ZZOM on Wednesday!) The Monday Coffee and Conversation in Solomon's Porch will continue as usual hosted by able volunteers who would love some company and good discussion- but I will be walking elsewhere :) I shall be praying on clifftops, across beaches and along tracks! I love the Gospel tale this week- it reminds me so much of my year six classroom.... "Its not Fair!".... Colin by Allan AhlbergWhen you frown at me like that. Colin,and wave your arm in the air,I know just what you're going to say:'Please , Sir, it isn't fair!'It isn't fairon the football fieldif their team scores a goal.It isn't fair in a cricket matchunless you bat and bowl.When you scowl at me that way, Colin,and mutter and slam your chair,I always know what's coming next:'Please, Sir, it isn't fair!'It isn't fairwhen I give you a job.It isn't fair when I don't.If I keep you init isn't fair.If you're told to go out, you won't.When heads bow low in assemblyand the whole school's saying a prayer,I can guess what's on your mind, Colin:'Our Father... it isn't fair!'It wasn't fairin the infants.It isn't fair now.It won't be fair at the comprehensive(for first years, anyhow).When your life reaches its end, Colin,Though I doubt if I’ll be there,I can picture the words on the gravestone now. They'll say: IT IS NOT FAIR..Th Workers in the Vineyard Just like Colin in the poem.... Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; So it struck me that as ministering folk some of us can be a bit like that with our ministry...... just mull over some thoughts about how you feel about your vocation, your role and your skill, and then ask yourself, "How am I encouraging and developing the skills, vocations and capacity of others?" They might not be able to do things as well as you yet but don't we have a responsibility as Readers to foster the talents in others without thinking "it's not fair!" because we feel we are not being used? Perhaps someone would like to reply and we will post it next week. This is a link to Debbie's Post on the All Saints Highertown webpage about her journey to becoming a licensed lay minister- A Reader! Please pray this week for all those fabulous folk who are being ordained or licensed…
Dear Colleagues and esteemed others, It has been another full week finalising the services for the Licensing next month, planning Post Licensing Training with Martin Adams and attempting to cope with the latest Corvid type news which, if nothing else, ensures that ZOOM services are needed to continue in one way or another.Candidates Admitted and Licensed 2020 3rd October in the Cathedralv Deborah Katherine Crocker to serve in the Tamar Valley Beneficev Matthew Terence Frost to serve in "St Germans Group with Antony and Sheviock Benefice”.v Penelope Jane Leach to serve in The Benefice of St Just in Roseland and St Mawes v Sandra Massie to serve in the Benefice of St. Keverne, St Ruan with St. Grade and Landewednackv Deborah Anne Mitchell to serve in the All Saints Higher Town and Baldhu10th October Zoom Servicev Roy Groves Cooper – to serve in The Benefice of the Callington Cluster To be Welcomed:v Christopher Harvey Clark who has PTOv Michael George Waring to serve in the Benefices of Poughill, & Kilkhampton with Morwenstow and the Parishes of Stratton and LaucellsThe Cathedral Service is strictly limited to 30 souls including clergy so I hope someone will be able to video it to broadcast later. I am not planning to take up one of those vital numbers. At the ZOOM service those licensed in the Cathedral will repeat their promises along with Roy- of Roy's Sunday Scribblings fame. All are welcome and the link will be sent out with the email. Should you miss it and wish to attend at 11 on 10th- just ask!In your prayers this week please pray for Miriam and all readers who cannot currently minister in the way they would wish because of Ill-health or personal circumstance. Please pray for those about to be licensed and all who are preparing for those services. Jim