News Archive
St Mary's Eaton Bray: December 2005
Christmas message from the Bishop of St Albans, the Right Rev Christopher Herbert
The courage people show in terrible circumstances never fails to be moving
After the explosion at the Buncefield oil storage depot I had the privilege of going to see the fire-fighters at 'silver' control.
These were the men who were in charge of trying to extinguish the enormous fire - and to that task they brought their professionalism, strength and wry banter.
The only way that the problem could be tackled was by being close to the heart of it. They literally walked towards, rather than away from, the problem. It took great courage.
You may remember an image from the television screens following the tsunami that hit south-east Asia last year. It was of a woman on a beach running towards the huge wave, trying to warn her family swimming in the sea of what was happening. Her courage, too, was enormous.
The capacity and the courage that people show in terrible circumstances never fails to be deeply moving. I have given illustrations from two public events - but the same point could have been made by writing about the courage of carers in our society, those who quietly and unflinchingly enter the suffering of others in order to try to transform it.
If you want a picture of what God is like - then look to those people and look at the Christmas story. God himself comes towards the world, enters it with all its dangers, and through love tries to transform it.
We surround that great story with other images - wise men, shepherds, Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger, because within those stoiries and the truths they reveal, we can see, if we wish to see it, what God is truly like.
Love always walks towards and never away from - and so it is with God. No matter what any of us may face in the coming days and weeks if we open our eyes we shall see God coming towards us, entering our lives, to help us bear things.
Is it any wonder that Christmas is so enriching? We are not on our own. In Christ, God is with us - and that's what it's all about.
-- The Bishop of St Albans is the Bishop for the Diocese of St Albans which is the Church of England in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Luton and part of Barnet.
Finance
It is encouraging to report that following the recent appeal for a review of personal giving, there has been a favourable response, a number who have increased their giving, by standing order amendments and additionally through the Free Will Offering envelope scheme. A number of additional sets of envelopes have also been issued recently for use in 2006, linked with Gift Aid Declarations - many thanks to all of you who have rallied to the call for more funds.
In order to reduce the amount of an anticipated shortfall this year in our General Fund - the day-to-day 'running expenses' of the church - a Christmas Fayre was held on 19 November. This proved to be a most successful and enjoyable occasion - being visited by folk from near and far - who found the numerous stalls heavily laden with 'goodies' suitable for all occasions, not just Christmas. A total of £990 was raised - a wonderful result for an event which it is hoped can be repeated next year.
Many thanks are due to all the stall holders and caterers who provided delicious ploughmans lunches throughout the two hours of the event. In particular, thanks to Chris Banks and Sally Taylor for their organising expertise.
Gordon's Christmas Puzzle
Copies of Gordon Gray's annual brainteaser are available in church this week. One third of the total raised will go to our Parish Project for 2005 - Emmaus St Albans. If you are able to take the puzzle to work and distribute copies to your colleagues, this would be a great help.
Further copies can also be downloaded from the Christmas Puzzle website.
Confirmation Preparation
Confirmation Preparation will begin in the New Year for adults and young people. Anyone who is interested in taking this important step in Christian discipleship (or in exploring the possibility) should let the Vicar know as soon as possible.
For more, see Confirmation Groups.
Christmas Services
The card which accompanies December's issue of Focus gives the times of our services over Christmas, to which everyone is invited. These can also be found on our Christmas Services and Diary pages.
As in previous years our Candlelit Service on Christmas Eve, a favourite for families and young children, will have two "sittings" - at 4.15pm and 6.00pm - because we simply cannot get everyone in at one time. Let's see if we can fill the church to overflowing for both!
Restoration work means that there cannot be a Carol Service in St Mary’s Church in Edlesborough this year – but there will be the traditional Carol Service at St Mary's, Eaton Bray, at 6.00pm on the Sunday before Christmas, with seasonal refreshments afterwards.
The Vicar is always pleased to bring Holy Communion at home to those who cannot get to church at Christmas because of illness or infirmity. If you would like to receive this ministry, please contact him as soon as possible to make arrangements.
Eaton Bray 'Roll of Honour'
Recently a visitor to St Mary's church commented, quite rightly, that the Rool of Honour displayed at the rear of the church was both inaccessible and difficult to read. As a result, the display was removed - firstly in order to clean and repair the frame, and secondly to rehang the document in a part of the church where it can be seen.
The actual document lists those men from Eaton Bray who were engaged on active service during World War I and would have been compiled either during the war or immediately following the end of hostilities.
For that reason, the Parochial Church Council took the view that the document should be preserved in its existing state and that although the lettering has faded with time it should not be 'enhanced' in any way, as doing so would spoil, rather than enhance, a historical document.
Instead, the information recorded on the Roll of Honour has been copied and can be found in a booklet, along with some explanatory notes concerning the abbreviations used on the original. We have also included a note of those names which, sadly, can also be found recorded in the War Memorial in the Church grounds.
Intersetingly, when the document was removed from the frame for cleaning, a sheet of paper was found glued to the reverse, which lists the names of the men (and women) of the village on active service during World War II. This information too has been transcribed and can be found in the booklet.
Finally, in order to complete the picture, a document from the Royal British Legion website has been copied and included as this gives details of those men whose names are recorded on the Memorial.
The folder containing this information can be found in St Mary's Church, and copies of the contents can be supplied in return for a modest donation to Church funds.
-- Chris Banks, Churchwarden
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