Christianity in Action: Lesson 7: Humility shown in respect for law:

Lesson 7: Humility shown in respect for law:
By G.R. Balleine

[Warning: Balleine was writing in the 1920s and 1930s, and his views and language reflect many at that time. However, as a time capsule of the prevailing beliefs, this can be very useful for the historians of that period.]

PASSAGE TO BE READ: St. Matthew xvii. 24-27.
TEXT TO BE LEARNT: “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord " (Pray. xvi. 5).
HYMNS " Blessed are the pure in heart," and " Once in royal David's city."
COLLECTS for Third Sunday after Easter and Seventh Sunday after Trinity.

Aim : To make clear why the duty of Obedience is so often pressed upon children.

I. LAWS ARE NECESSARY.

(a) Do you know what happened to the boy who was too proud to keep rules ? He said, " I am going to do as I please. Why should I obey rules made by other people ? I'm going to be quite independent." He was given a watch, and told to wind it regularly every night. He said to himself, " I won't be bound by any such rule," and of course the watch stopped. At school he refused to pay any attention to laws of arithmetic or laws of spelling, so of course he made no progress. At games he was a failure, for you cannot play football or rounders or even marbles without obeying the rules of the game. He mounted his bicycle, but as he refused to obey the rule of the road, he was soon run over by a motorcar. The doctor brought a bottle of medicine marked " One tablespoonful every three hours." He said, " I won't be bound by a silly rule like that. I like the taste, and so I'll drink the whole bottle at once." And he died. No one can get through life without submitting to laws.

(b) One of Mrs. Gatty's Fables tells how a climbing rose rebelled against the strip of cloth that fastened it to the wall. " Help me," it cried to the wind, " to drag out this provoking nail, so that I can be free." " That nail is there," said the wind, " to train you properly." " I don't care," said the foolish branch, " I want to be free." " Have your own way then," said the wind ; and he jerked the branch forward quickly, and the nail came out of the wall. A heavy shower fell that night. The branch was bent to the ground, and lay there splashed with mud. " Well," said the wind next day, " are you enjoying your freedom ? " " I don't choose to be tied," said the branch. " The sun isn't nailed up." " Why," cried the wind, " I know nothing more obedient than the sun. A time to rise and a time to set and a fixed path every day." " I don't care," said the branch, " leave me alone." Next day the neighbouring rose trees all burst into blossom, but the foolish branch still lay in the mud. " Help me," it said to the wind, " to climb to the top of the wall." This the wind could not do, but it knocked an ivy branch against the gardener's window, till he came out. He noticed the rose, and quickly nailed it again to the wall. Soon its beautiful, pure white buds began to unfold them-selves in the sunshine. " Would you like me to draw out those provoking nails ? " teased the wind. " What? Let me down into the mud again! “said the rose-branch.” No, thank you."

(c) We must learn the laws of cricket before we can play the game. There must be six balls to an over ; after each over the fielders must change positions ; if a ball is caught, the batsman who struck it is out, and so on. There are two stern masterful umpires who make sure that the laws are observed. There are laws of draughts, dominoes, chess, tennis, hop-scotch, musical chairs. You cannot enjoy any game unless you keep the laws.

(d) The old gardener at Versailles was in sad distress. Irle took great pains over the King's flower-beds, but as soon as he had sown his seeds the noblemen and ladies strolled over his beds, and destroyed his work. At last he appealed to Louis XIV himself. The King told him to put little tablets along the sides of his flower-beds (the French word for a " little tablet " is etiquette), and promised to issue a State Order commanding every one not to step over the etiquette. At first the lords and ladies chafed under the new restrictions, but later, when the beds became a blaze of colour, they blessed the old man, and laughed at their earlier folly. Submitting to restrictions' had increased, not decreased, their pleasures. And so the saying, " Don't step over the etiquette " became a kind of proverb. They applied it to all sorts of rules to which people voluntarily submit for the general good—rules of behaviour, rules of good manners. Don't trample beautiful things underfoot. Don't step over the etiquette.

(e) The cannibal has hardly any restrictions. He does as he likes. He tramples without restraint on all life's flower-beds. But the more he travels towards civilization, the more he has to submit to rules and regulations. The more civilized he becomes, the more those laws multiply. Every step forward is bought by the sacrifice of some of his freedom. Cannibalism is freedom and wretchedness. Civilization is submission to Law and happiness.

II. LAWS OF THE LAND.

(a) There are the laws of our country. A French explorer dug up in Mesopotamia the broken parts of a great black stone covered with writing. When scholars deciph6red it they found that these were the Laws of Hammurabi, who was King of Babylon three hundred years before Abraham. Even in those early days Babylon had its laws. “It is forbidden to do this," " It is forbidden to do that." And on the top was a picture of the Sun-God handing the Law Book to the king, showing that the Babylonians believed that these laws had the authority of their God behind them.

(b) In ancient Rome twelve bronze tablets were fixed in the midst of the city, on which were written the Laws of the Republic. All school-children learnt them by heart in sing-song Latin : " Dead bodies must not be buried inside the city. False witnesses must be hurled from the Tarpeian Rock. A clear space of five feet must be left between the houses," etc.

(c) Many pages of the Old Testament are taken up with the Laws of the Jews. The learning of these formed a large part of a Jewish child's education. " Ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way " (Deut. xi. 19).

(d) Our Lord set an example of obedience to the laws of the land. One day He returned to Capernaum after a preaching tour. The other disciples dispersed to their homes, and He went to stay with St. Peter. They found the tax-collector waiting for them. The Temple tax should have been paid at Pentecost, but they had been away from home. Now, this tax of 2s. 4d. a head for the upkeep of the Temple was a disputed one. It was not commanded in the Old Testament, but had been imposed by the Pharisees. Some Jews refused to pay it. The tax-collector asked St. Peter, " Doth not your Master pay tribute " He, knowing our Lord's attitude to the Law, answered at once " Yes." But, when he talked it over with our Lord, he found that He agreed with those who disapproved of the tax. In the East citizens were free from taxes, which were only imposed on conquered races. This tax seemed to treat the Jews like God's conquered subjects, not His free children. The Temple should be supported by freewill offerings. Yet, though He disapproved of the Law, while it remained Law, He was prepared to obey it. He told St. Peter to go fishing, and obtain money to pay the tax. Read Passage. Teachers must decide what view they take of what followed. The story seems to suggest that the coin would be found inside the fish's mouth. But commentators point out : (i) that our Lord never worked a miracle to supply His own need ; (ii) that St. Matthew does not go on to describe any such miracle ; (iii) that the words may mean no more than that he should open the mouth to take out the hook, and then sell the fish.

III. LAWS OF GOD.

(a) Sometimes it may be a duty to rebel against a bad human law : e.g. the Americans throwing the tea into Boston harbour, or the early Christian martyrs refusing to sacrifice. But there is another group of laws that it is always lunacy to break. These are the Laws of God. Our third Baptismal promise was “that I should keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of my life."

(b) Some of God's Laws we call the Laws of Nature : for example, the Laws of Health. We must keep our bodies clean, feed them with the right kinds of food at regular intervals, give them the right amount of sleep, or illness is inevitable.

(c) Some of God's Laws we call the Moral Law. " Sin is the transgression of the law " (1 John iii. 4). “The wages of sin is death “(Rom. vi. 23). Is there any sense in butting one's head against a brick wall? It is just as senseless to try to break through the fixed laws of God.

(d) The happy life is a life of obedience to God's Law. Our second collect for Morning Prayer contains the beautiful phrase, “God Whose service is perfect freedom." As the first story in the Bible tries to show us, while man obeys, he is happy. When God's Laws are broken, Paradise is always lost.

Key Infrastructure Changes Required for Robust EV Network by 2030

To support a significant expansion of fast and ultra-fast EV chargers in Jersey—especially under the 2030 petrol car sales ban—the electricity network beneath the roads will need targeted upgrades. Here's a breakdown of what that entails:

Key Infrastructure Changes Required

1. Upgraded Distribution Cabling

Current challenge: Many existing underground cables were designed for residential or low-demand commercial use.

Required change: Install higher-capacity cables (e.g. 3-phase, 11kV or 33kV) to support the load of multiple fast chargers, especially in urban areas with dense on-street parking.

Impact on Public: The number of roads per year to be dug up for this operation, according to the Minister, will be doubled.

2. New or Enhanced Substations

Why it matters: Fast chargers (50kW–150kW) draw significant power, often requiring dedicated transformer capacity.

Action needed: Build or upgrade substations closer to high-demand zones to reduce voltage drop and improve reliability.

3. Dedicated Supply Circuits

For safety and performance: Each fast charger needs its own circuit to avoid overloads.

Implementation: Install new circuits with their own breakers and protection systems, often requiring roadworks and trenching.

4. Smart Load Management Systems

To avoid grid stress: Use dynamic load balancing to distribute power across chargers based on demand and time-of-day tariffs.

Bonus: Enables off-peak charging incentives and reduces the need for overbuilding capacity.

5. Integration with Renewable and Storage

Long-term resilience: Pairing fast chargers with solar panels and battery storage (e.g. at car parks or public hubs) can reduce peak grid demand.

Local benefit: Helps Jersey Electricity manage carbon-neutral goals while improving energy independence.

Wish list: there are no current pairings noted. It is an aspiration.

Jersey-Specific Developments

Jersey Electricity has already installed over 100 public charge points, including ultra-rapid 150kW chargers at the Powerhouse.

A £600,000 upgrade to the Evolve network is underway to support future demand and integrate next-gen charging tech.

The Government of Jersey is also doubling incentives for private charger installations, especially for homes without driveways. Because this is commercially sensitive, details are vague.

However there is still a huge shortfall in charging points, especially for those without driveways. The current rate of expansion falls far below what is needed for 2030. Expect political backlash!
1 www.evolve.je2
2 www.jec.co.uk3
3 www.gov.je

More Short Stories: The Wreathkeeper’s Door

This short story was prompted by this curiously shaped small door, in a house near the end of a street in St Helier. I pondered this and wondered if there was a story behind it. Who lived there? And there was clearly seen a wreath on the door. What did it symbolise? With apologies to those who live there (and I am not going to name the property), here is a short story drawing upon that image. The ending is deliberately ambiguous - let the reader take it as they will!

The Wreathkeeper’s Door

Most people passed it without a glance. Just a rusting fleur-de-lis gate, a narrow passage, and a small arched door tucked into the side of a whitewashed house. But those who lived nearby knew better. They called it “The Wreathkeeper’s Door”.

Every season, the wreath changed. Spring brought daffodils and woven twigs. Summer, seashells and lavender. Autumn, like now, burnt orange leaves and tiny gourds. Winter? Holly, cinnamon sticks, and a single silver bell. No one ever saw who changed it. The door never opened. Yet the wreaths appeared, always perfectly timed.

Children whispered that the Wreathkeeper was a retired florist who’d once lived above Burrard Street, crafting wreaths for every wedding and funeral in St Helier. Others said she was a parish guardian, keeping watch over the seasons and the souls who passed through them.

One November evening, a boy named Eli lingered by the gate. His grandmother had died that morning, and he didn’t know where to go. The hospice had been quiet. The flat was colder. He stared at the wreath - orange leaves, a sprig of rosemary, and a small tag tucked behind the ribbon.

He reached through the bars and gently turned it over.

“For remembrance. For warmth. For you.”

The door creaked open.

Inside was a tiny room lit by candlelight. Shelves lined with wreaths for every season, every mood. A kettle steamed gently on a stove. And in the corner, a woman with silver hair and kind eyes looked up from her workbench.

“You’re early,” she said, smiling. “But you’re welcome.”

Eli stepped inside. The door closed softly behind him.

The Sunday Archive: The Pilot, July 1997 - Part 4

The Sunday Archive: The Pilot, July 1997 - Part 4

ST SAVIOUR

ANTHONY SWINDELL Rector

CONGRATULATIONS to our Church wardens, Mr Michael Payne and Mrs Josie Moisan and to our Almoners, Mr Gerald du Val and Mrs Jennifer Gaskell, on their re-election. The Ecclesiastical Assembly on 22nd May was a very positive meeting and the opportunity was taken to thank our host of church volunteers and leaders for their hard work over the last year.

Once again we were able to congratulate the choir who, at the Jersey Eisteddfod, confirmed their pre-eminence amongst the church choirs of the Island.

During the summer period, church members are asked to pay particular attention to welcoming visitors to the church. If there are any more people who can volunteer to man the church at strategic moments during the day, the Churchwardens and I will be delighted to hear from them. It is important to remember that, for many of the visitors, this may be their only contact with the Christian Church.

HOLY BAPTISM. 25th May, Natasha Helen Patricia Clayton.

HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN

HAVE you seen that new, so-called comedy series on television "Keeping Mum"? I saw an episode of it the other evening and was thoroughly disgusted.

The principal character is an elderly lady in the early stages of dementia. Most of the "humour" revolves around her failing memory and general confusion. I spend a lot of my working life with people like her and in my opinion the attempt to turn that kind of medical problem into comedy is downright insensitive, distasteful, unkind and cruel.

Whatever next? Perhaps the programme planners and script writers of the BBC will soon be gracing our television screens with situation comedies about heart disease and terminal cancer. No doubt some ingenious bright spark is even now working out the comic potentiality of a stage three carcinoma. But there again, perhaps not. The distinguishing feature of dementia is that, by and large, it only strikes old people. Heart disease and cancer, by contrast, often afflict relatively young people. Therein, I think, lies the nub of the matter.

It seems to me that there is, and has been for some time, a tendency in our society to have a bit of a giggle at the doddery old person who is losing his or her marbles. Of course, no one would say straight out, "Isn't that funny," but the patronising attitude with which old people who are slightly less than compos mentis are often regarded is only a very short distance from regarding them as figures of fun.

Primitive societies, on the whole, have a much more respectful attitude to their elderly members than so-called civilised ones. This could be because advanced societies tend to value people not for their intrinsic worth as human beings but for what they can do and produce. Old people cannot do very much compared with younger people and the productive capacity of mentally impaired old people is virtually negligible. Therefore, in our materialistic culture, they are not valued as they should be and are often patronised and made fun of.

Can we, I wonder, get back to a view of the human animal which regards all people as being of infinite value regardless of what they can do and regardless of their physical and mental condition? Hopefully we can. It could be that as the years pass and the elderly come to constitute a proportionately much larger part of our society a more humane attitude will be forced upon us. I hope a large and ever increasing percentage of old people and, inevitably, of old people with impairments of one kind or another will compel us to revise our estimate of what gives human life value.

ST OUEN
BRIAN VIBERT

Lay Pastor

ARE WE RECOGNISABLE AS CHRISTIANS?

AS Peter and John stood before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4) to be interrogated, Peter answered so convincingly and fearlessly and the courage of both was so remarkable that the rulers, elders and teachers of the law were astonished that "these men had been with Jesus." That statement calls to mind the Exodus story of Moses' return from Mount Sinai in which we read that "his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord."

These two accounts are immensely challenging to me and should challenge all who bear the name of Christian. How evident is it to others that we are disciples of Jesus? In Christ we are a new creation, in-dwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit. As he abides in us and we abide in him we have the potential to bear fruit — one fruit made up of many segments —love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. All segments are of equal importance and each should be clearly in evidence in the life of the believer.

It has been said "I would rather see a sermon than hear one any day." I wonder how much of Jesus is seen in us? "To become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4) is our goal in God's plan. We are called to be holy just as he is holy, set apart to be different as salt and light. Yes indeed, different in a way that is manifest in our actions, speech, attitude and demeanour. Wherever we are it should be obvious to all and sundry that we have been with Jesus.

During the Island Games the competitors are proudly displaying their allegiance to the Island they represent. As Jesus people, may our lives proclaim to whom we belong.

ST MARTIN
LAWRENCE TURNER Rector

OVER the past sixteen centuries the life and works of St Martin of Tours have inspired many people, not just here and in France, but all over the world. Very many churches worldwide are dedicated to his memory and so his influence and example still live on in the universal church and all can benefit from this if the will to do so is there.

On the first Friday of this month, along with Christians of many churches throughout the world, we will celebrate the Feast of his Translation as our Patronal. Festival and give thanks for the life and works of St Martin. On the following Sunday we will keep, as we have done for a good number of years now, our Patronal Sunday. Let us use this Patronal Festival to inspire us to fresh efforts for the church as a whole and, in particular, for the church and ministry in this place. It is down to all the believers in this place to make this happen, not just me. After all it is not the Rector nor the church building but the congregation of all believers which make the church, whether it be in Jersey or elsewhere.

Our Patronal Festival should be a great time of rejoicing. On the actual day, Friday 4th, there will naturally be an Evening Celebration in the Lady Chapel. Why not come along and enjoy the peace and quiet of that evening communion service? Then, on the Sunday, join with everyone in giving thanks and celebration. You will see that the Dean of Jersey has agreed to come along to the 10 am Family

SAINTS' DAYS. There are just two greater feast days of the Church in the month of July plus, of course, that of the Translation of our Patron Saint which for us, in a way, is even more important. Our Patronal comes first on Friday 4th, and then the second one, the Feast of St Mary Magdalen, occurs on Tuesday 22nd. On the following Friday (25th) is the Feast of St James the Apostle (St James the Great). There will be a 7.30 pm celebration of Holy Communion in the Lady Chapel on all of these days. I do hope that some of you — well, a few more than the usual two or three, will join me in the commemoration of the life and works of all three saints but especially of St Martin!

MOTHERS' UNION. As is customary we shall be taking our annual outing on Wednesday 9th July. However, at the time of writing the mystery remains as to exactly where we are going. Everyone should meet at the Public Hall at 12 noon and then we shall all go on our merry way to wherever it is from there.

JUMBLE SALE RESULT. This, in May, was rather disappointing and only just over £100 was made for the funds. Nevertheless we must offer many thanks to all involved.

SPCK LENT PROJECT. The result is not yet to hand, I'm afraid, largely due to my being away for so long, but it will be next month I assure you. Meanwhile, thank you from SPCK to everyone who took a box and put something in it during Lent.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING. By the time you read this issue of this august publication I certainly hope that we shall have set a date for this meeting which has been severely delayed by my absence.

CHURCH OFFICERS. Willy Renouf, Cliff Manning, Tom Marett and Paul Brackley were duly sworn-in at the Ecclesiastical Court on 8th June held in the Royal Court. Let us remember them in our prayers and give thanks for the three standing for office for another year, and especially for Cliff as he begins his term of office and starts to learn the ropes.

ST HELIER PILGRIMAGE. St Martin is not the only church in Jersey which celebrates its Patronal Feast in July, for the Town Church celebrates St Helier's Day on Sunday 13th July. However, there is a slight difference with St Helier in that he is believed to have brought the faith to these shores and should therefore also be regarded as the Patron Saint of the Island. As in past years there will be a pilgrimage procession from the Town Church out to Elizabeth Castle and St Helier's Hermitage that day starting at 4.30 pm. Anyone who would like to keep the feast and make pilgrimage is very welcome to join in either at the Town Church at 4.30 pm or else fifteen minutes later at West Park Slip. There will be a short service in the Castle courtyard and the customary wreath-laying ceremony at the Hermitage.

MANY THANKS. I would like to offer sincere thanks to all those people who have kept everything running smoothly during my absence on the mainland. Several clergy took the services, the Churchwardens (and their wives) made everything ready and tidied up afterwards, Elaine acted as a go-between, and everyone took the inevitable problems and differences with a good heart and humour. Thank you all very much.

"If I knew the meaning of life, I would have been the creator of it."
-- Catherine Cookson

Darkness Rising

From 4th March 1981, a poem from the archive. 

There are years when the light dims not just in the sky, but in the soul of a people. Nineteen eighty-one was such a year. The engines of progress stalled. The promises of post-war hope flickered. And in the silence that followed, something sharp and unspoken pressed against the heart.

We remember the riots  -  Brixton, Toxteth, Moss Side - not just as eruptions of rage, but as cries from communities long unheard. We remember the hunger strikes in Northern Ireland, where young men chose death over silence, and where politics failed to grasp the depth of their despair. We remember the cold war tightening, the assassins’ bullets missing but still wounding the world’s sense of safety. And we remember the quiet unravelling of trust, of solidarity, of the belief that tomorrow would be better.

In such a dusk, idols crumble. Systems we thought eternal reveal their cracks. And we, the ordinary ones, are left holding the box,  Pandora’s box, with only hope flickering faintly inside.

This poem, this lament, is not just about darkness. It is about the moment before the scream, the breath before the prayer. It is about the silken web that falls lightly but binds firmly. It is about the rage that rises not to destroy, but to mourn what might have been.  To say: yes, the light is dying. Yes, the darkness rises. But even now, we pray for a wizard’s spell. Even now, we dare to hope for a fresh tomorrow.

Darkness Rising

Softly, my darling, hear the daylight falling
As our light flickers; now the engine stalling
Stops, and at once becomes most still
Until silence so sharp that it might kill;
Then howling frenzy starts its rage
At loss of air-conditioned cage

Now, my darling, comes the darkness rising
As a dusk of idols crumbles in prising
Open Pandora's box; left alone unseen
Is hope. Alas! That which might have been
Was not to be: the silken web falls lightly
But firm; no space here for the sprightly

Only pray, my darling, for a wizard's spell
To break the enchantment of our hell,
And call forth hope for fresh tomorrow,
That failing there should be no sorrow
But tears of rage against the dying
Of the light, the darkness softly rising.

1965 - 60 years ago - November - Part 2

1965 - 60 years ago - November - Part 2

16.—Over 200 'people gathered in the modernized forecourt of St. Mary's and St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church in Vauxhall Street this evening for the blessing and inauguration of the impressive new church front which was recently completed.—Annual dinner of the Jersey United Services Club, His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor being the principal guest.—Special tea party given for 75-year-olds and their guests at Ideal Homes Exhibition at Springfield.

17.—A St. Helier parish assembly decides to dispose of the Green Street car part to the States for £8,500, conditional on the erection there by the Defence Committee of a multi-storey car park.—Inquest held on the body of Lieut.-Col. C. de M. Wellborne, who died following a fall in which he sustained a fractured thigh-bone, a verdict in accordance with medical evidence being recorded.

19.—St. Helier Municipal Ball held at West Park Pavilion, His Excellency and Lady Villiers and the Deputy Bailiff and Mrs. F. de L. Bois being guests of honour.

23.—At the September Assizes a 26-year-old Londoner, David C. Evans, was sentenced to a total of two years' imprisonment on charges of stealing £700 worth of copper tubing and three electric heaters ; today his appeal on the copper tubing theft was dismissed, but he was acquitted of stealing the electric heaters and his sentence reduced by four months. —At the 13th annual meeting of the Jersey Bulb and Flower Growers' Association it was stated that the local flower industry was valued at nearly 21,000,000.—The four Deputies of No. 1 District of St. Helier met members of their electorate at a public meeting at the Ritz Hotel to answer questions of public interest.

24.—The inquest was opened today on the bodies of the four young men who were killed when their car crashed in a broadside skid into a wall and lamp standard on the Route des Genets between Mont 8ohier•and Woodbines Corner on Sunday night ; the victims were David John Clark (21), of Birmingham, the driver ; Michael J. Murray, of London ; Philip. Thorne, of London ; and Ernest Atkinson (27), of Gateshead; there are two survivors of the crash ; the proceedings were adjourned for these to give evidence.

26.—The guest speaker at the monthly meeting of the Royal Common-wealth Society (Jersey branch) at West Park Pavilion was His Excellency Dr. Carel de Wet, B.Sc., M.B., B.Ch., the Republic of South Africa's Ambassador to London.—The nose wheel of a B.E.A. Viscount airliner collapsed during its landing run at the Airport this afternoon, but although jolted none of the 75 passengers and crew of four was injured. —Jersey Debating Club motion, " That travel gets you nowhere " carried by 30 votes to 29.

27.—Jersey Gleemen's annual celebrity concert held at Les Quennevais School, the guest being the celebrated 'cellist, Margaret Moncrieff.

29.—Watches and jewellery, mainly gold charms, valued at more than £2,000, were stolen in a smash-and-grab raid at Staples the jewellers, Burlington Parade, St. Saviour's Road, during the night of Saturday-Sunday. —Rainfall figures up to today were fast approaching almost double the average for the whole month, varying between 7.23 and 8.12 inches; there were strong winds on Saturday night and Sunday morning, gusting to Force 9 at times.

30.—Annual dinner of local branch of the British Show Jumping Association, it being stated that an effort was being made to form an indoor riding school.—Scottish Society of Jersey annual dinner held at the Royal Hotel, David Place.

More Short Stories: The Ragged Philosopher

The Ragged Philosopher

(based on an anecdote told by G.R. Balleine)

The boy arrived in Athens with dust on his sandals and three worn coins stitched into the hem of his tunic. His name was Cleanthes, and though his clothes were threadbare and his hands calloused, his eyes held the quiet fire of someone who had come to learn.

He had heard of Zeno - teacher of the Stoics, whose words shaped minds like sculptors shaped marble. Each morning, Cleanthes stood at the philosopher’s door, coin in hand, waiting for the lecture to begin. He paid his fee without complaint and took his seat among the students, many of whom wore robes finer than anything he’d ever touched.

He listened. He wrote. He asked questions that startled even the older scholars. And slowly, he began to shine - not with wealth or status, but with understanding.

But brilliance, when wrapped in rags, invites suspicion.

“He must be stealing,” whispered one student, a merchant’s son with a polished stylus and a practiced sneer. “No one so poor could afford Zeno’s fee.”

Others nodded. The idea spread like smoke - thin, insidious, hard to grasp but impossible to ignore. Soon, Cleanthes was summoned before the city magistrate, accused of theft.

He stood in the stone hall, the hem of his tunic still stitched with honesty, his hands still rough from labour. The magistrate, a man with silver rings and tired eyes, asked, “How does a boy like you pay for philosophy?”

Cleanthes bowed his head. “I work.”

“Work?” The magistrate raised an eyebrow. “Doing what?”

Cleanthes turned and gestured to the doorway. A man stepped forward - stooped, sun-darkened, with soil beneath his nails.

“I am a market-gardener,” the man said. “Each morning, before the sun rises, this boy waters my gardens. He carries buckets, digs trenches, and tends the roots. I pay him a wage.”

The magistrate nodded. “And at night?”

A second figure entered - a woman in a faded shawl, her hands white with flour.

“He grinds my corn,” she said. “Every evening, he turns the millstone until the grain is fine. He works without complaint. I pay him fairly.”

The hall fell silent.

The magistrate looked at Cleanthes, then at the students who had accused him. “You envy his mind,” he said quietly. “But you do not see the hands that shape it.”

He dismissed the charges.

From that day forward, Cleanthes walked the streets of Athens not as a suspect, but as a symbol. The ragged boy who laboured by moonlight and learned by day. The one who paid for wisdom with sweat, not silver.

Years passed. Zeno grew old. And when he died, the students gathered to choose a successor. They looked not to the merchant’s sons or the noble-born, but to the boy who had once stood trial for his poverty.

Cleanthes took the teacher’s seat.

He spoke not of wealth or status, but of endurance, truth, and the quiet strength of those who seek wisdom without applause. His lectures echoed through the colonnades, and his name became a lantern for those who walked in shadow.

And though his tunic remained simple, and his hands never forgot the feel of the millstone, Cleanthes became the chief philosopher of Athens.

Not because he was born to it.

But because he earned it - one sunrise at a time.

Pagan Liturgy: Liturgy of the Tides and Seasons

Pagan Liturgy: Liturgy of the Tides and Seasons
A Fourfold Rite for Circle, Shore, or Hearth

Grief – The Waning Tide (Samhain)

Invocation:
We call upon the West, the element of Water,
Where memory pools and sorrow flows.
We name the tide that has ebbed,
The loss that shapes the shore.

Chant: 

“What is gone is not forgotten.
What is broken still belongs.”

Action:
Place a stone in the circle.
Speak aloud the name of what has passed.

Reflection:
Grief is the tide that teaches depth.
It carves the soul like water carves rock.
We do not resist it. We ride it.

Renewal – The Turning Tide (Imbolc)

Invocation:
We call upon the East, the element of Air,
Where breath returns and dawn awakens.
We welcome the rising tide,
The first green shoot in the frost.

Chant:
“What is new is not unknown.
What is tender shall grow strong.”

Action:
Place a leaf or seed in the circle.
Breathe deeply. Let go of what no longer serves.

Reflection:
Renewal is the tide that turns.
It does not erase - it transforms.
We greet it with open hands.

Prayer – The Rhythmic Tide (Beltane)

Invocation:
We call upon the South, the element of Fire,
Where longing burns and rhythm pulses.
We enter the tide of breath and word,
The sacred beat between silence and song.

Chant:
“What is spoken is heard.
What is offered returns.”

Action:
Light a candle.
Speak a prayer, a wish, or a vow.

Reflection:
Prayer is the tide that moves within.
It is not bound by language.
It is the dance of spirit and intention.

Presence – The Full Tide (Lammas)

Invocation:
We call upon the North, the element of Earth,
Where roots hold and mystery dwells.
We stand in the high tide of now,
Where all things meet and belong.

Chant:
“What is here is holy.
What is shared is whole.”

Action:
Touch the earth.
Share food, drink, or quiet companionship.

Reflection:
Presence is the tide that holds.
It is not a moment - it is a dwelling.
We enter it with reverence.

Closing

All Directions:
We thank the tides.
We honour the seasons.
We walk the spiral path,
Knowing that what ebbs shall flow again.

A Short Story: Silence

Silence

The station drifted in orbit, silent and alone. No crew. No signal. Just the hum of systems maintaining themselves, a ghost of purpose in a place long abandoned.

Inside, the observation deck faced the void. A single chair sat bolted to the floor, its cushions cracked with age. The viewport stretched across the wall, revealing nothing but black—no stars, no planets, no light. Just the blank canvas of space, stripped of meaning.

Dr. Mara Venn had once called this sector "The Quiet Edge". She’d theorized that beyond a certain radius, the universe ceased to echo. No radiation. No gravity. No time. Just stillness. Her papers were dismissed as poetic nonsense. But she’d come anyway, alone, aboard the "Aletheia", seeking the silence she claimed was real.

She found it.

The logs stopped after day 47. No distress call. No malfunction. Just a final entry: “The silence is finite. It waits.”

Now, decades later, the salvage crew arrived. Protocol required a sweep, a scan, and a report. No one expected survivors. No one expected anything.

Commander Rourke stepped onto the deck first. His boots echoed against the metal floor, the sound swallowed almost instantly. He frowned. “No resonance,” he muttered. “Even sound dies here.”

The team spread out. No signs of struggle. No damage. Just dust and silence.

Then the viewport flickered.

Not with light. Not with movement. But with absence.

One of the crew, Lin, gasped. “It’s not black. It’s... less than black.”

Rourke approached. The void beyond the glass seemed to pulse—not with energy, but with negation. A kind of anti-motion. A stillness so complete it felt violent.

“There’s something out there,” Lin whispered.

“No,” Rourke said. “There’s 'nothing' out there.”

And then the silence broke.

Not with sound, but with sensation. The air thickened. The lights dimmed. The systems stuttered. The void pressed inward, not as a force, but as a refusal. A denial of presence. A storm of nothingness.

The crew scrambled. Instruments failed. Communications collapsed. Rourke reached for the emergency beacon, but his hand froze mid-motion. Not physically. Conceptually. The idea of movement had been erased.

Lin screamed, but no sound came. Her mouth opened, her body convulsed, but the scream was negated—unmade before it could exist.

The silence erupted.

It was not chaos. It was the fury of absence. The violent assertion that nothing must remain. The station groaned, not from pressure, but from contradiction. It had mass. It had form. The void rejected both.

Rourke’s last thought was not of fear, but of understanding.

This was not space.

This was the end of meaning.

When the rescue vessel arrived weeks later, they found the "Aletheia" intact. Systems functional. No crew. No logs. No trace.

Just one message etched into the viewport, faint and trembling:

“There exists a deathly calm.
The motionless still. 

Before the Storm of Nothingness 

Erupts with fury. 

And negation.”

The Sunday Archive: The Pilot, July 1997 - Part 3

The Sunday Archive: The Pilot, July 1997 - Part 3

ST PAUL
From PAUL BROOKS Minister

IN June we had a week of prayer for revival. In some ways it seems so inadequate to have only a week, when it is something that God desires. We pray daily, "Thy will be done." God's will is clear from scripture that all people should come to a saving knowledge of Him, through Jesus. Nevertheless we are seeing fruit in the life of the Church as people come to know Him — the visit of Daniel. Cozens was a great encouragement, both for those who know Daniel from of old as well as for those who met him for the first time — his ministry on 11th June led to five people making a Christian commitment.

But revival is not about getting people in. It’s about God's Kingdom being proclaimed in His world by word and deed; it’s about the world discovering God's heart of love — Christians as well as non-Christians.

As The PILOT comes out we will be in the middle of the Island Games. A team — called "Mouth Peace" — from England will be based at St Paul's Centre sharing the Gospel in the streets of St Helier during the week of the games. An opportunity to learn and to share our faith in Jesus with some of the visitors to our Island as well as with some of the local people who wouldn't normally go near a church. There will also be a special Island Games Celebration on Wednesday 2nd July at 8 pm at St Paul's Church. Everyone is welcome as the "Mouth Peace" team lead an evening of worship, music, drama and dance, with the Christian Gospel at the heart of it.

At the end of July a team of young people from St Paul's will be going to Toxteth in Liverpool to share in the ministry of the Toxteth Tabernacle Baptist Church for a week, before some members of that church come to Jersey for a holiday. The Toxteth exchange presents another opportunity to proclaim God's Kingdom and to see God at work in a difficult part of Britain.

In addition to all this we are learning more about the gift of prophecy. These are exciting, but also very challenging times as God invites us to re-evaluate where we are with Him. He asks of all of us: Are we willing to stand up and stand out for Him? Are we willing to be publicly counted as among His people? Arc we available to Him so that he can use us in what-ever ministry He chooses — however public or however private? Or do we say to God — "This far and no further?"

Jesus said, "If anyone would' come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?"

HOLY TRINITY

From
TONY KEOGH Rector

Dear Friends,

I make it a matter of principle, when writing for this august journal, to spend little time and space on the past; however, I cannot let pass the visit of John Osmers, the Bishop of Eastern Zambia. Bishop John was here at the invitation of the Overseas Aid Committee and its president, Senator Ann Bailhache. He attended the Ecclesiastical Court for the Swearing-in of the Church Officers and preached at the Service of Dedication. His sermon, in which he thanked the people of Jersey for their support and described the problems of poverty which his people endure, was awesome in its power and gentle dignity.

On Sunday 8th June we were delighted to welcome at our Family Service Bishop John, Senator Ann Bailhache and members of the Overseas Aid group who will be going to Zambia in August under the leadership of Rowland Heaven, our local headmaster. The group will be working in Msoro which is in Bishop John's diocese. His talk enthralled us all, especially the children, as he described the animals — crocodiles, hippopotami, lions —which live all around him and the people he lives amongst.

Zambia is three times the size of the United Kingdom and is divided into four dioceses. In Bishop John's diocese, he has six priests; that certainly puts our manning levels into their true perspective! We gave him, out of love and respect and in a spirit of family partnership, a cheque for £500. However, there were two other episodes which stood out. One was when he signed the register and saw our weekly collections. He could not help but reflect that one week's collection in Trinity Parish Church constituted the total income for two of his families in Zambia for a WHOLE YEAR. However, this did not prevent him from making his own contribution in our collection plate.

I have spoken to a number of leading figures in the Church to try to persuade the people organising the Lambeth Conference next year that we might have a visit from Bishop John and other bishops with whom we have an ongoing contact.

Bishop John is a great friend of Nelson Mandela; he has suffered for his faith, including the loss of his right hand. It was injured in a letter bomb attack made by agents of the then South African government. Like Nelson Mandela, he has refused to turn his suffering into bitterness and hatred; you only have to be in his company for a few minutes to know that you are in the presence of one of God's special people.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS. The Annual Presentation and Sunday School Festival will take place on Sunday 6th July, at 10.30 am. Please make every effort to support the children and their teachers as this is a way of showing our appreciation for the marvellous work undertaken by our Sunday School Teachers week by week. The offertory on this day is for the work of the Sunday School so please give generously.

SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTING. This will take place on Saturday 19th July. More details will be given on the weekly newssheet.

CHRISTIAN AID. The amount raised in the parish this year was £1,052. This is approximately £200 less than last year but only nine people were able to do their collections so many thanks to them for their "stickability" and willingness to collect for what is not the easiest charity to collect for. Thanks also to everyone who gave so generously.

PAT MILLER, RIP. It is with tremendous sadness that we record the death of Pat Miller. Pat was not only a fine and significant artist and teacher, but also a great friend. I carry in my imagination a book in which I enter the names of those who have had a special influence on me and among those names are Dr Glyn Simon, sometime Archbishop of Wales, Tom Jefferies Jones, the warden of Coleg Harlech when Jill and I were students there more than thirty years ago, George Thomas, now Lord Tonypandy, and John Dorey Richardson, late 'Connétable' of Trinity. Now, Pat joins that list. Her great influence was to make you look at the world in a new way and from a new standpoint and it came out in her work and in her life. She was the best of friends because she told you the truth about yourself; no matter how feisty or terse she sounded, you knew that it was said in love. We send our love and our prayers to Micky, to Frances and to Pat's family in Yorkshire. God bless you, Pat, and thank you.

FUNERALS. 20th May, Pat Miller; 23rd, Giles Evered; 29th, Laura Patterson Mathieson, née Black; 9th June, Joan Mary Starck, née Pallot.

ST PETER
From
BARRY GILES Rector

IN a holiday island holidays could be taken for granted. The fact of the matter is that they are essential. It goes back to the origin of the name. A holy day was a day for reviving one's whole being. Holidays are not simply to get away. There is a reality in that, for those of us who live on a small island, in a large world. They are a time for re-creation. We need that. We need time to do things other than what we do daily. We need time for seeing things other than we see daily. We need time to widen our horizons, culturally, geographically, even gastronomically! Some will do this trekking through deserts or up mountains; others will laze on a beach or by a pool.

Those of us who profess and call ourselves practising Christians have an added opportunity. We may well be on holiday in places which are somewhat different to our own. The church where we are on holiday may not be in the same tradition as we are at St Peter's. This gives us an opportunity. It gives us a chance to widen our experience of the Church. It gives us an opportunity to experience ways of worship very different, sometimes, to our own. It helps us to widen our horizons of the way in which God mediates His Love, and how Christians reflect that in their worship and witness.

There are no holidays from Sundays! Indeed, Sundays are for Christians the holy-day par excellence! It is because of That First Day of the week that we hold the first day to be our holiest of days, every week. There should be for Christians no escaping from, no bypassing of, every Sunday, at home or on holiday. Even in many airports there are chapels for the travellers.

If you are unsure what you may find in the place to which you are to go this year, please ask. Across Europe, the Diocese of Gibraltar¬in-Europe ministers to Anglicans. Further afield, the Anglican Church is in many areas. However, it may be that worship in another church's tradition could be a good thing, developing our understanding of other forms of Christian worship. Presuppositions from our past history are often found to be unfounded, these days.

Whether you are to take advantage of the school holidays for your holidays, or when-ever, and wherever you holiday this year, return refreshed in body, mind and spirit.

Just one little plea: to those who will not be away in July and August — do please remember that some holidaymakers in our Island worship with us every Sunday, and it is good that you are there to welcome them to worship with us! For wherever we are, every Sunday is the day of worship for everyone who professes and calls him or herself, a practising Christian.

CONGRATULATIONS to Jonathan Job and Les Vibert, and to Wendy Banks and Victor Le Riche, on their re-election to serve our church and parish as Churchwardens and Almoners respectively. I am sure that you do support them by your prayers in their work for God's Church and people.

OUR THANKS to the children and teachers of our Sunday School for their sponsored walk at Val de la Mare reservoir on Sunday 8th June. On a rather April-like day of sunshine and heavy showers, they walked and raised £360 for their church. Thank you for your support for them.

Red Flowers on the Field of Battle

Red Flowers on the Field of Battle

Drones and rockets striking terror, falling from above
The innocent are dying: no compassion, and no love
The war that asks no question, the war that brings this test
That lays buildings to rubble, unceasing without rest
The war that never falters, the war that costs such price
The war that takes the soldiers, a final sacrifice

And in every country, both now and long ago
Forgetting not the fallen, we remember and we know
On war zones now so empty, in lamentations sing
The poppies in the grasslands, a sign of suffering
And the rain is softly falling, as the fallen still increase 

Red flowers on the field of battle, a sign of hope for peace

The Morning of the Magician

Something a little different today. I began with a title, and then a tune of a hymn, and this poem just emerged from that reflection, and sort of got away from me. It was always going to be about magic, and then Merlin entered, King Arthur, the sword in the stone, and yet this story, familiar, is seen from Merlin's viewpoint. The last stanza is draws on an old legend about Merlin.

The Morning of the Magician

A dawning new vision, it came from the heart
Of justice and magic, of that fabled art
Reflections of stone, and a fabulous sword
Of a Round Table, knights, Arthur our Lord

A spell is soft sung, Merlin said but one word
Like notes on a harp, such changes were heard
The sword in the stone, now comes a child
A prophecy coming, of hope reconciled.

Now comes the King, with sword for the fight;
A great victory won, and Merlin’s delight.
He gazes below, from up his high tower
At Battle of Bradon, casts spells of his power

Then came the King, whom many did praise
Camelot his inheritance, now and always.
Knights attend him, and pledge him their heart,
Merlin makes him Round Table, of magical art.

And Merlin left them, his victory won,
To sleep far below, far away from the sun
Until great peril comes, Logres to befall,
And he will awaken, and come to us all

1965 - 60 years ago - November - Part 1

1965 - 60 years ago - November - Part 1

1.—The first helicopter service flight between Jersey and Guernsey took place this morning when a Sikorsky S-61 N belonging to B.E.A. Helicopters Ltd. took off from the Airport with her crew of three and full complement of 26 passengers.—Before a distinguished gathering His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor presents to PC. K. J. Crowhurst the Queen's Commendation for bravery and silver laurel wreath emblem for saving the life of a small boy who had slipped over a cliff at Portelet Holiday Camp, St. Brelade, on July 4 last year.—Competitions in the vocal and instrumental music section of the Eisteddfod open at the Opera House.

2.—At the parish meeting held in protest against the pro-posed car taxation by length of vehicle, at St. Lawrence, the president of the Finance Committee, Senator Cyril Le Marquand, announced that his committee had rescinded the proposals in the light of the criticism that had been offered.

3.—Verdict of suicide recorded at inquest on the body of a 29-year-old former B.O.A.C. air steward found gassed in his car on the common near Mont a la Brune, St. Brelade, last Saturday.—Mr. E. J. Egre re-elected Centenier of St. Peter unopposed.—Pilot Industries, the heating firm who were actioned by their accountants to pay the balance of an account, were ordered at the Royal Court to settle the outstanding bill and to pay costs.

4.—The local branch of the Royal Air Forces Association made a net profit of £4,228 8s. 2d. from this year's Battle of Britain activities, beating the record for any branch, which it set up last year, by more than £220.

3.—Fire which could have been started by lighted fireworks dropping on to the wooden balcony forming part of the roof, or by intruders, caused damage estimated roughly at £25,000 at Hotel Ellerslie, Clarendon Road, during the night. — Guy Fawkes night proved to be especially hectic for the States Fire Service and a busy one for the staff at the Casualty Department at the General Hospital, where several people were treated for burns and two admitted to the wards.—Final evening of the vocal and instrumental section of the Eisteddfod at the Opera House, their being a very poor attendance.—The total value of exports of produce and flowers from the Island during October amounted to £511,285, the greater proportion of this sum coming from tomatoes, which totalled £496,809.—Members of the Society of Jersey Gardeners hold their annual dinner and celebrate their 75th anniversary at Hotel de France.

6.—Opening sessions of the speech and drama section of the Eisteddfod at the Opera House.

8.—Details of an accident which occurred nearly four years ago were given in the Royal Court today, when the Court decided that the cyclist who was involved, Mr. S. J. Mayled, had failed to establish that the motorist concerned, Mr. A. F. Chapman, was negligent.

9.—Over 250 tons of machinery to be used in connection with the new power station at La Collette was put ashore from an Army tank-landing craft which beached at La Haule slip on the high tide this morning.

10.—On the recommendation of the Home Secretary, the Queen has approved the appointment of R. Goff, Esq., Q.C., R. H. Forrest, Esq., Q.C., and P. H. R. Bristow Esq., Q.C., as Judges of the Court of Appeal, Jersey, and the Court of Appeal, Guernsey.—Arts and Crafts Exhibition in connection with the Eisteddfod officially opened by Lady Villiers.—Members of the Honorary Police of the Island hold dinner and social at Hotel de France, the Police Court Magistrate, Mr. M. Newell, being one of the guests of honour.

11.—Service of remembrance and dedication of the Field of Remembrance held at the Cenotaph, the Very Rev. A. S. Giles (Dean) officiating. —Dancing Section of the Eisteddfod commences at the Opera House.

12.—Second charter anniversary dinner of the Lions Club of Jersey held at the Hotel de France.

13.—The first Ideal Homes Exhibition, sponsored by " The Evening Post " in its 75th anniversary year, officially opened at Springfield by Mr. D. W. Ryan, Constable of St. Helier.

14.—Annual Remembrance Sunday homage at the Cenotaph led by the Lt.-Governor, the Deputy Bailiff and the Consul de France ; because of rough weather, a guard of honour of officers and naval ratings were unable to come ashore from the anti-submarine frigate H.M.S. Dundass.

15.—Last night was the coldest November night in Jersey for 50 years, the temperature of 28 degrees Fahrenheit equalling the coldest local November recording made at Maison. St. Louis Observatory in 1915.—Festival of Remembrance organized by local branch of British Legion held at The Forum Cinema.

Priority Zones for Fast Charger Infrastructure

Priority Zones for Fast Charger Infrastructure

🔌 High-Density Urban Areas (St Helier)

• Why critical: Most rental flats and older homes rely on on-street parking.

• Current coverage: Public car parks like Pier Road (8 chargers), Patriotic Street, and Minden Place have some EV points.

• Upgrade need: Reinforce underground cabling and add substations near residential blocks to support curbside fast chargers.

🏘️ Suburban Growth Zones (St Brelade, St Saviour, St Clement)

• Challenge: Mixed housing with limited driveway access.

• Current status: Sparse public chargers (e.g. Red Houses, Woodford).

• Action: Install new feeder circuits and expand transformer capacity beneath key roads like La Route Orange and Rue du Crocquet.

Rural and Coastal Parishes (St Peter, Grouville, Trinity)

• Issue: Long cable runs and low-voltage networks.

• Example: Goose on the Green in St Peter has 11 chargers, but surrounding areas are underserved.

• Solution: Use smart load balancing and solar-backed hubs to avoid costly trenching.

Electricity Network Upgrades Underway

Jersey Electricity’s £120 million “Big Upgrade” includes:

• Doubling annual cable laying from 7km to ~15km

• Upgrading 10% of the low-voltage network to handle EV and electric heating demand

• Using smart meters and a “digital twin” of the island’s grid to pinpoint stress zones

This will support a projected 25% increase in peak electricity demand by 2030.

📈 Estimated Charging Point Growth

To meet demand by 2030:

• Jersey may need ~2,000 public chargers, up from ~100 today

• That’s ~250 new chargers per year, with a mix of 7kW, 22kW, and 150kW units

• Fast chargers (50kW+) will require dedicated circuits and transformer upgrades, especially in St Helier and St Brelade

1 www.gov.je2

2 www.jec.co.uk

New Wine, Loose Threads: Prayer Ministry Beyond Canon and Consent

New Wine, Loose Threads: Prayer Ministry Beyond Canon and Consent

In many New Wine Anglican churches, the openness to Spirit-led ministry creates a participatory atmosphere. Lay people are often encouraged to pray with and for one another, and this can be seen as an expression of the priesthood of all believers.

However, when individuals begin to minister regularly outside the discerned structures of licensed Lay Ministry or ordained oversight, a quiet shift can occur - one that risks forming an informal hierarchy of spiritual influence. This echoes C.S. Lewis’s warning in his famous essay “The Inner Ring”, where the existence of an unspoken circle of insiders can subtly erode integrity and accountability.

Lewis describes how an informal network can exist, and in a New Wine context, this would be where those seen as spiritually significant or especially gifted can be part of an informal network without office, and recognition within that informal “inner ring” without responsibility. In a church context, this can lead to certain individuals becoming de facto lay ministers, not through discernment or commissioning, but through social proximity or perceived charisma. The result is often a blurring of lines: between vocation and visibility, between calling and clique.

This dynamic also raises serious safeguarding concerns. When prayer ministry is offered by those outside formal structures, without clear oversight or training, the church becomes vulnerable - not only to spiritual confusion, but to emotional or pastoral harm. Without proper boundaries, consent protocols, or accountability, well-meaning ministry can become intrusive or even manipulative. Safeguarding is not just about preventing abuse; it is about creating a culture of safety, clarity, and trust for all who come seeking prayer.

Canon law in the Church of England requires that all public ministry - including prayer ministry - be exercised under the oversight of the incumbent and within authorized structures. Informal or unsupervised ministry risks breaching both ecclesial order and safeguarding responsibilities. In New Wine Anglican contexts, where lay participation in prayer ministry is often encouraged, it’s vital to remember that Canon Law is not suspended by charisma or spontaneity.

To honour both the movement of the Spirit and the dignity of the Church’s ministry, there exists a proper protocol for lay participation which ensures that all who minister do so within a framework of discernment, training, and oversight. This protects the vulnerable, affirms those called to serve, and resists the quiet pull of the inner ring. True spiritual authority is not claimed - it is entrusted. And the Church flourishes not through hidden circles, but through visible, accountable service rooted in love.

So to recap on safeguarding obligations: All ministry - especially involving vulnerable individuals - must comply with national safeguarding policies. These includes: (1) ensuring lay ministers are known, trained, and accountable (2) avoiding unsupervised or spontaneous prayer ministry by individuals not formally recognized (3) maintaining clear boundaries and consent protocols

When prayer ministry is offered by those outside these structures, even with good intentions, it can undermine the discerned authority of licensed ministers, create confusion about who is acting in a pastoral role and importantly, breach safeguarding expectations, especially if vulnerable individuals are involved.

Canon law exists not to stifle the Spirit, but to protect the dignity of ministry and the safety of the flock. It ensures that all who minister do so with clarity, accountability, and communal trust.

Background Notes:

The New Wine Practice Guide (2025) states: “We have an expectation that prayer ministry would be offered at every possible opportunity.”

New Wine’s theology supports lay involvement in prayer ministry, and many Anglican churches affiliated with the movement do include non-licensed individuals in ministry settings. However, this must always occur under proper oversight from the incumbent, with clear safeguarding, and without undermining the integrity of licensed ministry.

Safeguarding training is mandatory for licensed lay ministers, but for non-licensed individuals involved in prayer ministry, oversight must ensure they’ve completed appropriate training—even if not publicly listed. Displaying safeguarding status on church noticeboards is not required, but clear internal records and visible team identification are strongly recommended.

A Short Story: The Fool of Assisi

The Fool of Assisi

In the sun-drenched hills of Umbria, a young man named Francis dreamed not of prayer, but of glory. He listened to troubadours sing of knights and valour, and saw himself among them - armoured, noble, destined to right wrongs. With a heart full of fire, he rode to Perugia, seeking war and honour. But the battlefield offered no triumph. Captured and imprisoned, Francis sat in a stone cell, his dreams crumbling like the mortar around him.

When he was released, he wandered aimlessly through the countryside. The songs of knights no longer stirred him. He sought something deeper, though he did not yet know what. One day, on a dusty road, he saw a leper approaching. The man’s face was ravaged, his gait slow and painful. Francis recoiled, fear rising in his throat. But then - something stirred. A voice, not his own, whispered: Face your fear.

Francis stepped forward. He embraced the leper, held him close, and gave him alms. The man’s eyes shone with gratitude. Francis walked on, changed.

Soon after, he came upon the ruined Church of San Damiano. Its stones were crumbling, its altar bare. As he knelt to pray, a voice echoed through the silence: Repair my house. Francis looked around. He understood. He pledged himself to the task, giving up his fine clothes and family wealth. With bare hands, he lifted stone after stone. Others saw his devotion and joined him.

But Francis was not meant to stay in one place. He set off to preach - not with sermons of grandeur, but with stories of holy poverty, of tending the sick and loving the poor. In every village, he brought warmth and humility. In Gubbio, he heard of a wolf that terrorized the town. The villagers begged him to stay away.

Instead, Francis walked into the woods.

He found the wolf - massive, snarling, eyes like fire. But Francis did not flinch. He spoke gently: Brother Wolf, you are hungry. But you must not harm. The wolf paused. Something passed between them. From that day, the wolf lived peacefully among the people, fed and cared for.

Another time, Francis stood in a meadow and preached to birds. They gathered in silence, wings folded, heads tilted. When he finished, they flew off in a flurry of colour, as if carrying his words to the sky.

Years passed. Francis grew frail. His sight dimmed - Brother Sun no longer warmed him, Brother Moon faded into shadow. He withdrew to pray alone. That night, something miraculous occurred. His hands bore the marks of Christ - the stigmata - visible signs of holy suffering. Those who saw them wept, not in sorrow, but in awe.

He died not as a ruler, but as a fool - God’s fool. The little man of Assisi who had embraced lepers, tamed wolves, preached to birds, and rebuilt broken churches. He changed far more than those who ruled kingdoms.

And in the quiet places of Umbria, his spirit still walks - barefoot, humble, and radiant.

Whiskers and the Candles: A Church Mouse’s Reflection

Whiskers and the Candles: A Church Mouse’s Reflection

Whiskers had lived beneath the chancel steps of St Adwen’s Church (which is in the village of Advent near Camelford in the County of Cornwall) for many winters. He knew the creak of every pew, the scent of old hymnals, and the way the light fell through the stained glass just before evensong. But this All Souls felt… thinner.

Last year, the candles had come slowly. One by one, lit with trembling hands and whispered names. Whiskers had watched from his usual perch behind the organ pedal, where the dust was warm and the echoes kind. Each flame had seemed to carry a story - grief, love, memory - and the silence between names had been thick enough to nest in.

But this year, it was different.

The humans came forward all at once, bustling like squirrels before rain. Candles lit in clusters followed by names (already written on leaves of card), hung on the tree. The list was read in batches - no pause, no breath, just a few seconds hush between the names to hang the leaf. Whiskers twitched his whiskers in confusion. Where had the stillness gone? Where were the dimmed lights that let the candles blaze in glory?

He missed the old rhythm. The way the vicar used to kneel. The way Mrs. Penrose always lit two candles - one for her husband, one for the son she never spoke of. The way the silence used to stretch long enough for Whiskers to imagine heaven as a place of listening. The gentle words sung between each lot of names.

Now, it felt like a checklist. Efficient. Kind, yes - but hurried. The candles flickered, but they didn’t seem to speak.

Later that night, when the church was empty and the moon hung low over hillside, Whiskers scampered up to the tree of light. He sniffed the leaves. Names. Many names, but not as many as last year. He sat beneath them and listened - not to the humans, but to the memory that lingered in the card.

And he whispered, in mouse-language, the only prayer he knew:

Kindle a flame to lighten the dark,
And take all fear away.

The tree didn’t answer. But one candle, still flickering in the dark, gave a little sigh. And Whiskers knew that somewhere, the silence still held.

The Sunday Archive: The Pilot, July 1997 - Part 2

The Sunday Archive: The Pilot, July 1997 - Part 2

PARISH LETTERS

ST LUKES
From DAVID JONES Priest-in-Charge

LOOKING AFTER THE ROOTS

UNDER the trees in the Vicarage garden previous owners have cut out borders and beds for shrubs and flowers. Under the great oak, by the front wall, a semi-circular border around the tree is shaded and cool. The gardeners amongst you will know that it is also dry from the shade of the tree. It is a lovely place to sit but needs some plants with simple colour and beauty, but most of all it needs some good compost to nourish and feed the little plants throughout the summer with its hot sun. Well, the work has been done and the plants are growing well. I hope they look a picture for our Church Summer Tea and later our Fun Day in August for all ages. Looking after the roots makes such a difference.

How true that is for our faith as well; the "feeding" of our friendship with Jesus. It is always sad to see someone who has become a Christian lose their grip on faith. However, Jesus warned that it could happen and his words act as a warning to us all. He gives us, like a good gardener, three "tips" to help us be fruitful (or if you prefer, blooming) Christians.

First, we need to hear His word. Committed to a regular encounter with Him in the Scriptures and the nourishment of the Sacrament. But sadly those who meet with Him in the reading of the Bible each day are in a minority in the church today. Just like those who meet him in the Sacrament in one of the six other days of each week. Is there someone you could encourage to become a regular Bible reader and attendee at a weekday service? If you don't hear Him, you don't grow!

Second, we need to understand what we read, hear and pray. Jesus gives us gifted Bible teachers and priests. Many of our churches have Bible groups, prayer groups and "prayer schools" to help us grow in understanding as well as help each other.

Third — and vitally — we need to allow this nourishment and feeding of God to "produce a crop" in us. Good feeding will be seen. Good well-fed "Roots" will produce good, joyful and "colourful" Christians who will stand out. Jesus has harsh words to say about "hearers" who were not also "doers."

Well, how are your Christian roots? Do you need some good God-given "Compost" so that you can "Bloom" better for Him? Then take the opportunities all around, services, groups, books, and don't be barren unproductive "soil" for Jesus. Feeding the roots makes all the difference.

DIARY DATES
1st: W.I. Concert, 8 pm in church.
9th: Jersey Senior Girls Choir Concert, 7.30 pm in church.
11th-12th: 'The Water Babies' by St Luke's Community Theatre, 7.30 pm in the church hall.
13th: Sunday School Sports Day at Green Island, 2 pm.
15th: St Cecilia Concert, 8 pm in church. 19th: St Luke's Summer Fayre, 10 am
20th: Songs of Praise in support of Help the Aged in Jersey.
24th: Millennium Brass Concert, 8 pm in church.
25th: Barn Dance, 8 pm in the church hall.

REGISTERS

HOLY BAPTISM. 4th May, Lucy Jane Bevis, Travis Lee Berthou; 1st June, Alexander John Lopes.

HOLY MATRIMONY. 24th May, Mark Coxhall and Emma Pini.

FUNERAL. 12th May, Colin Veitch.

ST HELIER
JOHN SEAFORD Rector

THE social highlight of May was undoubtedly the Georgian Evening at the Assembly Room in the Town Hall, attended by the Constable. It was an enjoyable evening with an amusing and fascinating talk by Peter Le Rossignol about life in a grand house some 200 years ago, including some of the naughtier bits! Hopefully, when all the financial arithmetic is settled, the profit should allow us to close the special project fund for the time being. The screen to enclose the narthex area should be in place before the end of the summer.

Our thanks to all who have contributed in any way to ensure that this scheme has been so successful. The support of the Constable and assistance of the Town Hall staff has been much appreciated. The generosity of one or two major donors, and the ongoing financial support of many others over many months, with the administrative skills and innovatory enthusiasm of a few, particularly Dina Sewrey and Helen Seaford, and the steady efforts of cake-makers, musicians, barbecue chefs, et alia, have all combined to provide our Parish Church with a greatly admired aesthetic and practical improvement. Thank you, all.

This month includes St Helier Day. The traditional annual Pilgrimage to Elizabeth Castle for an ecumenical service, and a visit to the Hermitage, takes place on the preceding Sunday. Many churches in the Island are now supporting this event, and it would be good if a larger number of our own congregation sup-ported our choir, which always turns out in great numbers. You can either join the procession, or go across in your time, on foot or by transport. Because of the tides, the pilgrimage procession leaves the Town Church at 4.30 pm. Why not take a picnic tea, and enjoy fellowship after the service with others as we all commemorate our patron Martyr.

On his feast day, 16th July, the anniversary of his martyrdom, there will again be a short service of Holy Communion out in the Hermitage at 1 pm. Because of the tides it will be impossible to walk out at that time: and our main parish celebration will take place in church at 7.30 pm, followed by a reception at the Deanery. All members of the congregation are invited.

Over the following days, the Town Church will provide the setting for a Flower Festival, "A Pocketful of Posies", to celebrate the centenary of the work of the Children's Society in Jersey. The theme will be nursery rhymes. Please tell your friends about it; and do come and see it. I know it will be worthwhile; and the work of the Children's Society will benefit greatly.

We are becoming more conscious of the needs of others. After small beginnings with various shoe-boxes, the call for handbags received a splendid response. Nearly 100 handbags, all crammed with necessities and luxuries, were provided by the ladies of the congregation, and their acquaintances at work and play, for their displaced and deprived "sisters" in Bosnia.

Next month, on Friday 1st August, we shall be pleased to host a concert by Heidelberger Kammerorchester (The Heidelberg Chamber Orchestra) who are on tour. They will perform works by Vivaldi, Mozart, Purcell and Telemann.

REGISTERS

HOLY BAPTISM. 25th May, Ryan Jordan Cheshire, Taylor Jay Hooson; Mia Traynor; 1st June, Georgia-May Catherine Gabb; 8th June, Charles Felix Zaman.

FUNERALS. 13th May, John Sheehan; 15th May, John Albert Botrel; 3rd June, Euphemia Neasham.

ST LAWRENCE
From
ALASTAIR FORMAN Priest-in-Charge

WE have made some good progress with our Restoration Project at St Lawrence. After the Ecclesiastical Assembly of 28th April, an Appeal Group was formed to manage the financing of the work. The group consists of the following: Myself as Chairman, Steve Meiklejohn (Deputy Chairman), Duncan Baxter (Treasurer), Anne Bougourd (Secretary), Anne Binney (Events), David Edwards (Publicity) and Julie Reeves (Parishioners Abroad).

Members of the Appeal Group will be looking for help in their particular tasks, and we hope to involve as many church members as possible in this long term project.

At the Ecclesiastical Assembly we committed ourselves to the first two phases of the project, at a cost of £150,000. The overall "ball park" figure, however, is £285,000. Although substantial help is coming from the Parish (£100,000 this year), we need to begin work on raising the rest.

The Appeal will be launched on 19th July at a Summer Party at Domaine Des Vaux, by the kind invitation of Marcus and Anne Binney. A Buffet Supper in a marquee will be followed by dancing to live music. Tickets can be bought from Anne Bougourd (Tel. 862649) and Julie Reeves (861241) at a cost of £15 each. We look forward to seeing as many as possible there - bring a friend!

The Ecclesiastical Court sits at St Lawrence on 14th July at 10 am. The Court's approval of the project is required before we can begin the work. We would value your prayers for wisdom and goodwill.

We hope to have much enjoyment in working towards this project. I'm sure that there will be great side benefits in terms of fellowship and increased faith. My prayer is that as the project develops, so God will be shaping our lives individually and corporately, and creating a building and a people to be used together in gathering many to the Lord Jesus Christ.

ST MATTHEW

THERE is much to thank God for at St Matthew's, not least the fact that about 40 per cent of our congregation is made up of young people under 16. The work, however, is not confined to the church site on a Sunday. There is a thriving JAM (Jesus and Me club) for 7-10 year olds meeting at the St Lawrence Community Centre on Fridays, from 4.30 to 6 pm (further details from Pam Hewlett on xxxxxx). Many of the children who come are not churchgoers, but they are introduced to the gospel through the friendship of the leaders, and through a short talk from a guest speaker each week. Activities include sports and games, craftwork and cooking.

Some of our Pathfinders are involved in the Oasis Youth Club at the St Paul's Centre on Saturday evenings. Their faith has grown considerably through this work, and they have developed friendships with other Christian young people in the Island, which must be a good thing.

It is good to open our doors to one another, and to the non-church going community. Our Tuesday Evening Celebrations (2nd and 4th Tuesdays in the month at 8 pm in St Matthew's Church Hall) are open to members of other churches, and also to those who are interested in Jesus, but who find the formality and traditions of much Christian worship difficult. Our belief is that, although the message cannot be changed, the methods by which we express it and preach it can. Different sections of the community are reached in different ways, and the church is duty bound to find every way possible, and not to be bound by side issues. The particular style of Tuesday evening is informal and relaxed. The worship is lead by a band: it is followed by teaching and ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit. Coffee and buns are on hand throughout, and all are welcome

Samhain Feasts

Clans gather on Tara’s Hill under moonlight for Samhain, marking the year’s end with firelit feasts, bardic tales, and ancient rites. Magic stirs, heroes ride, and dawn breaks as the old year dies and the new begins.

Samhain Feasts

We gather on the hill that night
The clans are called to Tara’s Hill
The soft and sweet moonlight
Blesses ancient Samhain still

Fires in the fall, flames leap high
Joyful feasts this quarter night
Baked the bread of barley rye
Quaffed the mead by fire light

Tales of old, the Bards do sing
Ancient chieftains’ might deeds
Fey enchantments, magic ring
And galloping on mighty steeds

The old year dies, the new is born
Samhain night, and breaking dawn