Lammas Day

I wanted a Lammas poem to reflect the ancient traditions, but also the threats to our daily bread from warfare.

Lammas Day

Ukraine, bread basket of Europe, despoiled:
Ports blockaded, damaged or destroyed;
And famine rears its head across the world:
The spectral horseman, banner unfurled;
So much more should we rejoice and sing,
Not take for granted: daily bread we bring;
From the earth, Our Mother, comes grain,
And in time of drought, may gods bring rain,
So that we might see fields white for harvest,
First fruits of August, Ceres be thou blessed!
Blowing in the wind, ripe stalks of wheat,
Rejoice in the harvest, come, merry meet,
Make corn dollies, ancient harvest trophy,
Suffolk horseshoe, Yorkshire spiral we see,
And also the Stafford knot upon the gate:
Protect home, hearth, and the livestock,
Keep them safe from famine’s knock,
And bless the fields, and bless the land,
With druid’s staff held high in hand!

1966: A Sports Centre for Jersey?

From "Jersey Life", 1966.

A Sports Centre for Jersey ?
By Marcel Le Masson Sports Editor

Jersey lies in the Bay of Mont St. J Michel at a latitude of 49° 13’ North and longitude 2° 9' West. This small island of about forty-five square miles, containing a residential population of some 63,000 persons is unique in the world of sport.

The long dark evenings of winter conceal the numerous indoor activities of sportsmen who, in the boxing ring or on Badminton Courts, strive to improve their performance. Billiard balls click against each other under the glare of bright light, keen eye and steady hold send .22 rifle bullets streaking down the ranges at the many shooting clubs, whilst brisk footwork with well practised movement turn aside the foil or sabre. These are but few of the many pastimes available to any potential sportsman.

Summer sport is not neglected either, we may dive through clear water to explore mysterious reefs, or crew the racing yacht on a long windward flog, with spray reflecting a sparkling rainbow from the thundering bow wave. If we prefer, there is golf, tennis, cricket, bowls—the list is endless. Yet all may be found within short reach of each other.

Many of the associations responsible for sections of Jersey sport find they cannot bring out the best in their participants through lack of, or restricted, facilities. Runners need tracks—as do cyclists; basket ball players prefer full size courts; squash courts are virtually non-existent. The question remains— ‘Does this Island require a sports centre?’.

During January, 1964, a special committee composed of many leading citizens, under the chairmanship of Senator J. Le Marquand, sat and began to meet the various deputations from the most interested organisations. The committee’s function was to assess the requirements and place them in the correct perspective. It must be said that the effect from this committee was in certain cases immediate: arrangements being made where possible to assist by using available buildings, this mainly due to the far-sighted anticipation of the Education Committee. The second consideration was, if and when a centre was built, where it would be sited ?

Fort Regent

Les Quennevais

Les Quennevais, situated in the West of the Island, looked a likely position—a section of land being already cleared. The other possibility, Fort Regent, at present a dump for old cars and tons of coal, and perhaps to be developed by private enterprise, may be out of reach of the limited finances that most sports organisations have, as investors expect a reasonable return on their speculations. If a State sponsored centre came into being would it be expected to pay for itself or be subsidized ? These are questions much to the fore when any decisions are made.

Mr. Frank Machon, President of the Caeserean Cycling Club for thirty-one years, would like to see a sports centre with banked cycling track and full facilities for other sports. If the Island must subsidize such a venture he would certainly be in favour, Mr. Machon is confident that Jersey could afford the expenditure. ‘I have been pressing for this over many years, but have almost given up hope of seeing it in my life time’, stated Mr. Machon, ‘We only spend ninepence a head on youth in Jersey, England allows about l/8d.’.

The Secretary of the Special Committee on Sports Grounds is Mr. J. H. Cabot, Senior Administration Assistant of the State’s Education Committee who gave full co-operation in explaining the position up to date.

Members of the special committee have visited sports centres at Harlow, Crystal Palace, Southampton, Hull and Basingstoke. Many experts have been consulted including Mr. G. A. Perrin, A.R.I.B.A., who as research Fellow compiled the report on ‘Community Sports Halls’ issued in November, 1965.

This comprehensive report covers the requirements of all types of sports centres according to density of population, including allowances for expanding areas. From their deliberations the committee are inclined to feel that the type of centre required by Jersey would include the type ‘B’ sports hall which can cater for a community of between 30,000 and 50,000, this is a hall with a main playing area of 105’ x 120'. Harlow Sports Hall is a good example with a playing area of 100’ x 120', the cost with equipment would be about £120,000: which would include the ancillary accommodation in the form of changing and refreshment rooms.

On my visit to Mr. Cabot, he told me that he expects the committee to compile an interim report in book form and then to place it before the States for their consideration; as for finance it may be possible to build a centre on the Trust Fund basis. As a matter of interest Mr. Cabot stated ‘The special committee sent invites to 106 interested sports bodies in Jersey and received replies from forty-seven, eventually seeing about twenty-seven’.

After thanking Mr. Cabot, I left feeling very confident that the special committee, which was required to take so many points of view into consideration, is fulfilling its function to its utmost ability.

Sport in Jersey is made up of much smaller basic units than on the mainland; most associations consider that if a central hall became available, their particular sport could develop accordingly. It seems clear that the first step must be to build a sports hall, a successful centre revolves around such a project; a sports hall is not a complete centre, but is the main section where members may feel they belong.

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Hot Topics

The poem today addresses the recent 38C heatwave in Jersey, and other aspects of climate change and pollution. We have not been good stewards of our planet. This are the "hot topics" of this poem.

Hot Topics

The sun, remorseless, beating down
Warm air from the South, burning hot
Grassland, lush and green, now brown
Carbon mitigation: one last shot

We are building our own funeral pyre
Rainforests cleared, more each year
And burning trees consumed in wild fire
A deaf world seems unable to hear

Our plastic waste in every food chain
And nitrates pollute the water table
Droughts and wars remove our grain
Our world has become so unstable

The heat-wave: one more sign to see
One planet: we cannot flee

The Jersey College for Girls P.T.A. Annual Buffet Dance: 1966

From Jersey Life, 1966, "The Jersey College for Girls P.T.A. held their Annual Buffet Dance at the Hotel de France recently."

Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Bisson.

Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Smith

Mrs. L. Blackler, Mrs. le Feuvre and Mr. L. Blackler

Mr. and Mrs. A. Berry

Mrs. J. le Roux and Mr. F. J. Black.

Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Tostevin, Mr. and
Mrs. R. G. H. Job and Mr. and Mrs. J. A. H. Job

Mr. C. G. Dumond, Mr. D. Saville, Mrs. C. G. Dumond,
Mrs. J. W. Iceton, Mrs. D. Saville and Mr. J. W. Iceton

Mrs. F. R. Binnington, Dr. and Mrs. I. Maine and Dr. and Mrs. D. Sayers.

Mr. L. Minty, Mrs. G. Bromley, Mr. and Mrs. B. Dubras,
Mr. G. Bromley, Mr. and Mrs. B. Gardner and Mrs. L. Minty.

Mr. and Mrs. R. Le Breton and Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Hawkley

The Roadworks Prayer

A prayer for those who are forever digging up our roads.

The Roadworks Prayer

Our Works Manager, who is in Traffic
Cursed be thy name
Thy roadworks come
Thy resurfacing be done
On site as it is in planning
Give us this day thy daily closure
And forgive us our road rage
As we forgive those who stop for tea breaks
And lead us not into diversions
But deliver us to road reopening
For thine is the infrastructure kingdom,
The potholes and the roadworks
for ever and ever
(or it seems like it)
Amen

Letter from Zimbabwe

"We can rise up above our self-limiting beliefs and unhelpful attitudes. " (Canon Tim Neill)

"I read the Economist each week, do some cooking and exercise regularly. I read a range of books but generally not fiction. I love to see democratic freedoms and justice expanding everywhere on the planet. I am a trustee of the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe. " (Canon Tim Neill)

Bailliwick Express reported last month that:

"Tributes have been paid to a “caring” and “generous” priest [Tim Neill], who moved to Jersey after receiving death threats for challenging tyrant Robert Mugabe, following his passing at the weekend.... He came to Jersey in 2006 with his Jersey-born wife, Carol, and took up the part-time post of rector of St. Mary's Parish Church in 2019.

For more details see:
https://www.bailiwickexpress.com/jsy/news/tributes-paid-rebel-jersey-priest-who-took-mugabe/
https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2022/06/13/tributes-are-paid-to-st-marys-merry-rector/

So for this Friday's history piece, I thought I'd get out of the archives a letter sent by Tim to the congregation of St Ouen's Church in 1988 - who supported Tim by prayer and materials while he was in Zimbabwe. 

It's a fascinating window into the late 1980s, and part of the background story of a much loved priest. He is remembered in many of the obituaries as a rebel against Mugabe's increasingly savage and dictatorial regime, so it is good, I think, to have a window onto the church building (in the sense of building up the people) that he did in Zimbabwe. 

Letter from Zimbabwe

It is always important to remember that we are part of a universal church. We are urged to be informed about and to pray for and support other Christians in different situations from our own. St. Ouen‘s has a particular link with St. Luke's Church in Harare. We invited Tim and Carol Neill to share with us something of their ministry in the Parish of St. Luke, Harare:

Carol (née Treussard) and I were married in St. Ouen’s in August 1981. Carol had qualified with a B.Ed. and I had finished my Theological training in March 1982. After three years at Auondale, my first placement, we came here to St. Luke's and have been here three years this March We have two lovely girls and live in a Rectory which is situated behind the church. I have a part—time non-stipendiary deacon and a full-time lady worker / parish secretary helping me.

St. Luke's parish lies on the eastern side of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. The church was consecrated in 1953 (the year I was born) and the first incumbent baptised me. The silver baptismal bowl he would have used on that occasion is still with us! The parish is roughly shaped like a triangle and the church is in one apex. 

The area is a previously whites-only area but since independence there has been a significant increase in the number of Africans in the parish so that they form the majority of the population now. The houses are generally three or four bedrooms on an acre of land. The socio-economic grouping is therefore largely the middle class white-collar workers who commute to the city for their employment.

Carol and I count it a joy to serve in this community which is growing and changing at a most pleasing rate. Some four years ago the congregation was an ageing white church with just four couples under forty and no youth programme at all. Today we have numerous young married couples with a good racial mix and a very lively youth group and junior church.

The church's life is focused very much in our twelve house groups. These groups meet once a week and study the material given out with the Sunday's pew paper. The preacher's sermon topic is thus studied in the house groups. Of the regular communicants just over half belong to a house group. We have a policy that people wanting pastoral care from St. Luke's should in normal circumstances belong to one of our small groups. With close on 300 people coming through our doors each Sunday we have had to adopt this policy quite resolutely. And I believe it true to say that it is an exciting thing when ex-Rhodesians and Zimbabweans meet in each others' homes to worship. study and have fellowship together.

This year I have embarked on an ambitious church growth programme. All the house group leaders are presently meeting together once a week for fellowship, mutual encouragement and teaching by me. This teaching course for the leaders is made up of 15 evening sessions spread through the year. Other courses this year look at the themes of ‘How to share your faith'. ‘Worship'. ‘Life in the Spirit' and ‘Leading small groups'. I am confident that these courses will promote greater Christian maturity and confidence so that our present growth trends are maintained.

On Sundays we have services at 7.30 am, 9.30 am, 3.00 pm. and 6.30 pm. The morning services are all Holy Communion except for the Family Service on the first Sunday of the month. The 3.00 pm. service is in the Shona language and the evening service is ASB Evening Prayer. The largest service is the 9.30 a.m. service which is usually a bit chaotic towards the end when a vast wave of children bursts in from junior church to find their mums and dads. We have a healing ministry for people in need of prayer for healing or other problems during communion at both the morning services and other times as well.

The music for the church is organ at 730. organ plus flute, guitars and piano at 9.30. drums, rattles, a guitar and/or piano accordion at 3.00, and usually piano at the evening service. Those of you acquainted with African styles of worship will know that dancing is very much part of their culture, so the 3. 00 service is not quite a traditional “Anglican" service.

The link with St. Ouen’s has helped us with our music and worship, our Christian training programme and our baptism and marriage preparation courses. We are very grateful for your on-going support because it has made excellent material available which would not otherwise have come our way.

Carol and I count it a great privilege to serve in this community at this time in Zimbabwe’s history. There is so much to give thanks for. especially for the fact that we have a tremendous amount of goodwill amongst the races. 

We have both been very much encouraged by the figures presented by the Wardens, which show very real growth in the last three or four years. I believe this is due to the effectiveness of our house groups. shared lay leadership, an emphasis on the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit and prayer. 

So thank you, St. Ouen’s. because we know you have been and are praying for us! God bless you.


TIM AND CAROL NEILL

February, 1988

A Present Moment of Time

A reflection on time, current affairs, and the loss of memory. 

A Present Moment of Time

I visited my aunt today, clear, alert:
Who would think the memories hurt?
Fragmented, the present slips away,
And tomorrow is now yesterday,
Last year, or even ten years gone by:
Time and dementia, they never fly;
So she talks of having been to town,
Only last week, and I feel a bit down:
Because I know it never came to be,
But for her, it is totally real, you see;
False memory, or one so long ago,
Frozen like icebergs in time’s flow,
And no awareness, but also no fear;
And sometimes, the present there,
Bleeds into this narrative, this story:
Boris Johnson resigns! He’s history!
But I know that in just a week or two
It may be lost; Boris resigns. Who?
Yet cheerfulness pervades, is there,
And that is something to hold so dear,
As time robs her of short term days:
A journey into a past, of winding ways;
Old age is never easy. But for now, no pain
Just fading away, softly falling summer rain.

Jersey Round Table Ladies Night: 1966

From "Jersey Life", 1966 - "Jersey Round Table held a Ladies’ Night recently at the Bay"

Spring Tide at St Brelade

From 11/08/2004, a memory. I used to end these nights soaked to the skin, but the house was just over the road, and there a nice warm bath awaited, and some Horlicks and bed.

Spring Tide at St Brelade

The foaming tide comes leaping fast

Over white sands, and then at last

Reaches the wall, at the end of day

This spring tide at St Brelade’s Bay

High tide splashes over the sea wall

Each wave so high, so very tall

And we are here to take a chance

To miss the waves, the briny dance

We run, then stop with wariness

Heavy water coming down to us

This time it misses, and we run

To dare the elements is such fun

Then halt, and wait, a fearful pause

Sea water cascades down, then draws

Back into the foaming sea, then

A tall wave is rising once again

Breaks on the wall, begins to climb

We are not so lucky on this time

We are soaked through, so very wet

We gambled here, just lost our bet

And so bedraggled, we go home

For a warm bath of bubbling foam

Then to bed, to dream of the waves

Crashing within the sandman’s caves.