With St Aubin, there is mention of the Village School, and the fight to save St Aubin's School was led by the Vicar, Terry Hampton, and his wife Rosemary. They managed a stay of execution, but of course falling numbers meant the school would close later.
St Brelade has mention of fundraising in order, in part, to restore the Fisherman's Chapel. I remember cycling down there on a Saturday morning where a group of fellow students met with Charles Green, our Maths teacher (affectionately nicknamed for some unknown reason "Gloop").At that time, you could only vaguely make out the wall painting of the Annunciation, and the others were hidden behind plaster. A damp day would make it more visible, but of course, that was also symptomatic of the deterioration of the roof. The Rector's fund raising was successful, and Warwick Rodwell came both to excavate as an archaeologist, and as part of a team restoring the chapel. Hidden wall paintings were painstakingly uncovered and restored, and now of course the inside is fantastic. Despite the pandemic, it is open in the day - Mondays excepted - and I would recommend a visit if you want somewhere dry and relatively warm to go to on a cold day.
I've also added advertisements on these pages of the magazine, which have some "blasts from the past". "The Missions to Seamen" is now, with changing times, and more woman at sea, "The Mission to Seafarers". Benests of Millbrook has been taken over by another supermarket - and always to me brings to minds that advertisement on Channel Television, barked out by Mr Benest himself - "Remember the Name! Benests of Millbrook, and Fineprice, St Clements Coast Road". Big Deal Carpets has also gone, and not my area of retail expertise, but I suspect "Pour Madame" has as well.
The Pilgrimage
How splendid, we thought, that this year St Helier’s Day, July 16, falls on a Sunday, especially as last year so many people asked that the Pilgrimage should always be held on a Sunday. Unfortunately the tide will be up during the afternoon, so that we are left with the alternatives , of making the pilgrimage in the morning or evening during normal service times, in the afternoon in swim-suits, or on a different Sunday. So we chose Sunday, July 9, which happens appropriately to be Missions to Seamen Sunday.
Pilgrims are asked to assemble at the Town Church at 2.30 pm, and use Church House as a robing-room. We shall proceed through the Royal Square, along King Street; Parade, Cheapside, West Park and along the Causeway through the grounds of Elizabeth Castle to the Oratory Rock, where a short service will be held. The Constable Of St Helier will then lay a wreath within the shrine. After wards pilgrims may take the one opportunity of the year to enter the shrine, which is normally kept closed.
St Helier is the Island’s saint, and not only the town’s, so it is hoped that many people from all parishes and all denominations will take part, and especially clergy, choirs, servers, church officials and Youth Organisations. Please be as colourful as possible - Robes, banners, uniforms etc
Those who feel the walk from church to shrine and back is too arduous may join the procession at any point they wish. But do come.
The Pilgrimage
How splendid, we thought, that this year St Helier’s Day, July 16, falls on a Sunday, especially as last year so many people asked that the Pilgrimage should always be held on a Sunday. Unfortunately the tide will be up during the afternoon, so that we are left with the alternatives , of making the pilgrimage in the morning or evening during normal service times, in the afternoon in swim-suits, or on a different Sunday. So we chose Sunday, July 9, which happens appropriately to be Missions to Seamen Sunday.
Pilgrims are asked to assemble at the Town Church at 2.30 pm, and use Church House as a robing-room. We shall proceed through the Royal Square, along King Street; Parade, Cheapside, West Park and along the Causeway through the grounds of Elizabeth Castle to the Oratory Rock, where a short service will be held. The Constable Of St Helier will then lay a wreath within the shrine. After wards pilgrims may take the one opportunity of the year to enter the shrine, which is normally kept closed.
St Helier is the Island’s saint, and not only the town’s, so it is hoped that many people from all parishes and all denominations will take part, and especially clergy, choirs, servers, church officials and Youth Organisations. Please be as colourful as possible - Robes, banners, uniforms etc
Those who feel the walk from church to shrine and back is too arduous may join the procession at any point they wish. But do come.
St Aubin on the Hill
LINK WITH THE SEYCHELLES. At our recent Church Council meeting, Philip Daubeney told us that the Lent gifts for the Seychelles had come to £60. We shall be sending tapes for the Christian broadcasts they are making, and the money left over will be sent to Archdeacon French Chang-Him to use as he wishes. His church has asked what we would like, and the answer is a white altar cloth. This is being made by his parishioners, and will be a visible link with God’s family in the Indian Ocean. We shall have sent off the remaining money given in memory of Claude Russell to Mvumi Hospital for Elisabeth to use on what- ever is the greatest need. And the CMS Treasurer will be rejoicing over a cheque for £100 towards our missionary’s salary.
FLOWER FESTIVAL. Do make this known to your friends, come yourself and offer to do a stint of duty. Saturday, Sunday and Monday, June 3—5, are the days when the church will be decorated by the Jersey Flower Club, and we are very grateful for their skills. This display will link in with the centenary of our village School. We hope that many former pupils will be joining us at the school on Sunday, June 4, for a short time of thanksgiving prayers taken by the Dean, who will also be our preacher at the Family service. (I’m hoping we may get a band to lead us down the hill to cheery music, plus helping us to get to church on time.)
It was members of St Aubin’s who first worked for a village school. A Dame school started in Market Hill, then moved to Hibernia Vale, and finally a special building was built for the pupils. It‘s often forgotten, now that States have taken over the running of education, nearly all teaching was once financed by Christian people It should be a reminder to us to look around and see what areas of need there still are, in Jersey, and overseas.
VISITOR FROM DOWN-UNDER. One other important date is the first weekend of July. The Rev. Charles Widdowson will be with us, plus Alice his wife, and they will be sharing their experience of God the Holy Spirit’s work Down Under. There will be a special Seminar forth Confirmation group on Saturday, July 1, at 11am. Any others are very welcome to attend. Charles will speak at a Praise evening in the Vicarage that same day, and again our Sunday Family Service. We hope to have a congregational beach picnic after that service. In the evening there will be an open meeting at Communicare at 8 pm. Alice wants to meet the women of St Aubin and we have planned that for Tuesday morning, July 4, at 1030 am. Both Alice and Charles will be at our Tuesday evening Bible study and prayers. So make sure you earmark time to meet them both; they really have some wonderful experiences to share with us.
THE BISHOP. It was great to have Bishop John [Taylor] with us last month and to meet an old friend, Ron Diss, the Chaplain. One point the Bishop made very strongly. It was that an alive church is one which is talked about by its members as our church. It’s not the Vicar’s or the Wardens or even the church council’s! It is our church, and this means that we all have jobs to do, gifts to offer, prayers to make, and time to put aside for our church.
QUIET. When we went to Spain for a week‘s holiday after Easter, the one thing I noticed about the local church we went to was the noise before the service began. Then once we started the Communion, people kept coming in and disturbing others. It got so bad that the priest had to tell some late-comers to “pipe down!” Do try and have that five minutes before a service begins quietly praying. Pray for yourself and other worshippers, and remember the minister, he needs your prayers too! (It is possible that even he might be feeling a bit off colour or simply not like taking the service.)
It is our service after all, and we can all help to make it a wonderful time of singing, listening and fellowship together.
Terry Hampton, Vicar
St Brelade's Church
ST BRELADE’S CHURCH DEVELOPMENT FUND.
“One sows and another reaps . . . others have laboured, and you have entered into their labours.” When Jesus said these words he was quoting a saying which was to apply supremely to his own work and that of all those who were to follow him. Whatever may be said of the history of the Christian Church, and there is much that is not particularly creditable, there is no doubt that the truth of these words has been well borne out. The faithfulness of generation after generation to the truth about Jesus which they have learned, and their care in handing it on intact to their successors is an impressive fact of history.
Here, in St Brelade, in a rather less dramatic way, we have entered into other’s labours. Undoubtedly the greatest labourer in this corner of the vineyard for many years has been John Arthur Balleine. He has bequeathed to us a Parish Church of considerable beauty, restored with a taste and discrimination which was rare in his age. He also did his best, as the insights of the time allowed, with that unique jewel the Fisherman's Chapel. With regard to the wall Paintings he wrote: “It has been decided to leave the matter in status quo, believing that science may shortly assist us to unravel the problem". Since those words were penned, the science of the preservation and care of wall paintings has made considerable progress, and from the advice and reports we have received in recent years we are reasonably well able worthily to complete what John Balleine handed over to us.
One development which John Balleine did not foretell —- or at least did not refer to — was the stranglehold which the motor car was to exercise upon our lives, and the very considerable growth which was to take place in his parish. This, of course, has now happened, and, whether we like itor not, virtually all our worshippers come to church by car. Our tiny car park is quite inadequate to cope with even a moderately large attendance, and once a certain number is reached, people have either to walk, or stay away. Sad to say, I fear some do the latter. Further, when the Church Hall was built in 1927 the small cottage provided at its rear was of very modest proportions, and had no proper bathroom or toilet facilities. This we have now had to put right, with the addition of a second floor, with the result that the cottage is in every way up to modern standards of accommodation.
At the annual general meeting I formally launched our seven to ten year development fund, which is intended to raise the capital necessary to carry out these four tasks which have been handed on to us by our forebears. Our target figure is £120,000. Ways and means whereby parishioners and other well-wishers can share in this challenging programme and help to preserve these beautiful buildings and ensure the ministry here for the future will be made known very shortly. In the meantime, please pray for God’s blessing on this programme, and in particular, that we, in our turn, may be faithful, that one day other men may enter into our labours and thank God for what, in his name, we have achieved.
HOLY BAPTISM. Michelle Marie Joumeaux; Carlton Anthony Journeaux; Jade Ashley Neate; Sanchia Rebecca Neate; Victoria Lyon Priest; Giles Rutherford Morrison.
HOLY MATRIMONY. Timothy Paul Feely to Mary Dominica Brant; Peter Steven Le Long to Gina Doris Renouf.
BURIALS. Geoffrey Edwards, 58; Bronislawa Roquerbe, 90; Louise Drury, 81; Richard John Mark Amy, 11 hours.
Michael Halliwell, Rector
“One sows and another reaps . . . others have laboured, and you have entered into their labours.” When Jesus said these words he was quoting a saying which was to apply supremely to his own work and that of all those who were to follow him. Whatever may be said of the history of the Christian Church, and there is much that is not particularly creditable, there is no doubt that the truth of these words has been well borne out. The faithfulness of generation after generation to the truth about Jesus which they have learned, and their care in handing it on intact to their successors is an impressive fact of history.
Here, in St Brelade, in a rather less dramatic way, we have entered into other’s labours. Undoubtedly the greatest labourer in this corner of the vineyard for many years has been John Arthur Balleine. He has bequeathed to us a Parish Church of considerable beauty, restored with a taste and discrimination which was rare in his age. He also did his best, as the insights of the time allowed, with that unique jewel the Fisherman's Chapel. With regard to the wall Paintings he wrote: “It has been decided to leave the matter in status quo, believing that science may shortly assist us to unravel the problem". Since those words were penned, the science of the preservation and care of wall paintings has made considerable progress, and from the advice and reports we have received in recent years we are reasonably well able worthily to complete what John Balleine handed over to us.
One development which John Balleine did not foretell —- or at least did not refer to — was the stranglehold which the motor car was to exercise upon our lives, and the very considerable growth which was to take place in his parish. This, of course, has now happened, and, whether we like itor not, virtually all our worshippers come to church by car. Our tiny car park is quite inadequate to cope with even a moderately large attendance, and once a certain number is reached, people have either to walk, or stay away. Sad to say, I fear some do the latter. Further, when the Church Hall was built in 1927 the small cottage provided at its rear was of very modest proportions, and had no proper bathroom or toilet facilities. This we have now had to put right, with the addition of a second floor, with the result that the cottage is in every way up to modern standards of accommodation.
At the annual general meeting I formally launched our seven to ten year development fund, which is intended to raise the capital necessary to carry out these four tasks which have been handed on to us by our forebears. Our target figure is £120,000. Ways and means whereby parishioners and other well-wishers can share in this challenging programme and help to preserve these beautiful buildings and ensure the ministry here for the future will be made known very shortly. In the meantime, please pray for God’s blessing on this programme, and in particular, that we, in our turn, may be faithful, that one day other men may enter into our labours and thank God for what, in his name, we have achieved.
HOLY BAPTISM. Michelle Marie Joumeaux; Carlton Anthony Journeaux; Jade Ashley Neate; Sanchia Rebecca Neate; Victoria Lyon Priest; Giles Rutherford Morrison.
HOLY MATRIMONY. Timothy Paul Feely to Mary Dominica Brant; Peter Steven Le Long to Gina Doris Renouf.
BURIALS. Geoffrey Edwards, 58; Bronislawa Roquerbe, 90; Louise Drury, 81; Richard John Mark Amy, 11 hours.
Michael Halliwell, Rector
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment