BEVERLEY MINSTER
M AG A Z I N E
M AY 2 0 1 5
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£1.00
The Parish Magazine of Beverley Minster, All Saints’ Routh, St Paul’s Tickton, St Leonard’s Molescroft and St Peter’s Woodmansey
THOUGHT FOR
THE MONTH
EDITORIAL
Welcome to the MAY edition of the Minster Magazine.
Contributors this month are:
During my daily reading I came across Psalm 5
in a modern version and thought how apt this
was for today:
Sally George, Jeremy Fletcher, Steve Rial, Paul Hawkins, Barbara Gilman, Lorna Jones,
Lesley Bowser, Annegret Aveyard, Jeannie McMillan, Maureen Kelham, RMF,
Emily Hoe, Terry Munro, Gareth Atha.
‘I know, O God, that you are grieved by the
selfishness of your children.
The world you created seems to be falling
apart.
Your creatures are living for themselves alone.
They are proud and self-sufficient.
They think they don’t need you any longer.
The philosophies that come out of our world
bear little resemblance to the truth you
revealed to us.
Enable us to recognize them for what they are:
shallow, superficial, ultimately destructive.’
Contributions for the next edition to: [email protected]
GIRLS ALLOWED/ALOUD
Take your pick! You have probably noticed this title in our Sunday information
leaflets, and we – the girls - meet monthly on Friday evenings at 8pm, now at
the Tiger Inn in Lairgate. The idea was originally Fiona’s and like Topsy, it grew
and grew – and so did the number of girls attending. After all, the men had their
monthly meetings, Blokes Talk Faith, and even Breakfasts. Girls allowed is a flexible,
supportive group; no invitation needed, just turn up.
Annegret Aveyard
We started in the perhaps aptly named “Monk’s Walk” on Thursday evenings
after Evensong, as it was easier for those who came from further away. Then
we congregated in one large room with its own bar counter, which was used by
plenty of other customers too. But it really was set aside for us and at no charge.
Numbers varied week by week: once we had to push two large tables together,
while at other times there would be just “two or three gathering in His name.”
Now at The Tiger Inn, we share the smaller bar room with the local Friday evening
crowd, (often including two virgers, relaxing after their shift.) We each buy a drink
to start with, and arrange the seating as numbers increase.
COVER PICTURE
Who is in the Bertie the
Beaver costume?
What event is taking place?
There is no fixed programme for the meetings. The agenda as such is quite relaxed.
Topics tend to suggest themselves: some are faith-related, some are events in our
own lives which we value sharing, or we might discuss what’s on at the Minster. It is
just as well Val Clarke took over from Fiona to keep us focussed, because - surprise,
surprise - how we talk! Usually we close with a prayer and a short silence to
reflect, before returning to our homes refreshed.
Why is the mayor in the
picture?
All is revealed by Emily
on page 7.
So, looking forward to seeing you there?
R.M. F.
FLOODLIGHTING THE MINSTER - SPONSORS IN MAY (taken from the Minster website)
1st Mrs E Hoyes
2nd Michael Evans
3rd FREE NIGHT
4th R Coates
5th Pauline Webster
6th Mrs A Withers
7th Ratneval
8th Mrs A Reynolds
9th Bone & Godwin Family
10th Mrs E Sach
11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th
17th
18th
19th
20th
Miss J Atkinson
Mrs A Greenwoods
Friends of the Christ Church Cathedral,
Oxford
Mrs A C McAllister
Mrs M Picker
Mrs J M Fraser
Nelson Webster Partnership
Mr J Wragg
D Reid
Miss S Wight
Beverley Minster Magazine/2
21st
22nd
23rd
24th
25th
26th
27th
28th
29th
30th
31st
M Moody
Mrs B Moses
Mr R G Usher
Mr D Jack
H English
Mr P Wilkinson
Mr J Dunning
Mrs S J Hill
A P & P K Wright
M Nettleton & L Kitchen
Mr R Elvidge
THE VIC AR’S
PAGE
J E R E M Y F L E TC H E R
Jeremy’s letter now appears as ‘The Vicar’s Blog’ on our website and it is also available for those who receive our free eNewsletter by email.
I was ill in March and April. I know I was ill
(thanks to our team of clergy, lay ministers and
because I was physically unable to do any
retired clergy), then it could all happen. But I
of the services in Holy Week and at Easter
don’t think God made me ill because it was
– a vicar’s ‘busy time’. If I’ve been under the
convenient. I don’t know why I was ill. I just
weather before I’ve generally hauled myself in
was. I’ve learnt from it, and I hope I’ve grown
and coped, but the virus that got me did an
through it. But I don’t know why it happened.
excellent job. It was all I could do to decide
what to drink (the first week) and then eat
Yesterday, in the Minster, as news of the
(the second and third weeks).
Nepalese earthquake broke, someone asked
if we might have a sermon or two on why
This is the point where you might be
bad things happen.Val had spoken about it a
expecting my testimony on the reassurance
little, referring also to the drownings in the
of the presence of God especially at 3 in
Mediterranean. We are right to ask why the
the morning when all else is hopeless. I’ve
world is as it is, and right to look for God’s
always been inspired when hearing of people
presence in it all. What came to me was that
who have found God in the most desperate
God’s presence in the suffering of the world is
circumstances. Indeed, I think I’m much more
so intimate, so total, through the suffering and
convinced by people whose faith in God is
death of Jesus Christ, that it goes beyond the
created or deepened through suffering rather
manipulation of events, beyond doing things so
than joy. Not that I was really suffering. I was
that other things can happen.
just ill, and couldn’t do anything else but lie
there.
Some things simply are. God is not set apart
from them. God’s presence can be found in and
And nothing happened. I was just ill. My faith
through them. Why individual events happen
in God remained the same, and I slept and
is perhaps beyond us. But faith and trust in
woke and looked for signs of improvement.
God’s presence, though Christ who in his
In the middle of it all I read a helpful blog
resurrection continues to bear the wounds of
by someone who is going through radical
his suffering, is what distinguishes the Christian
treatment for an aggressive illness. They said
faith. Crucially, sometimes we might feel this
that, sometimes, you are just ill, and that’s it.
and be convinced of it. And sometimes, as in
Perhaps, in God’s providence, there will be
my enforced illness and absence, we might
times where all makes sense spiritually, and
not. The test of faith is to continue to reflect,
that is a great gift. But for much of the time it
question, think, and grow. And one day I might
is what it is, and you carry on. Finding the will
understand why I was unable to lead the
of God in all this is not so easy.
services which mark the heart of the Christian
faith.
Wedding transport is always a joy. I had never seen a
‘pointy roof’ North Bar bus before.
As it happened, I was off ill for the most
convenient two weeks of the year. I should
For now I’ll give thanks that I’m better, and I
have been away for the first week anyway, so
will look for the presence of God in the most
everything was geared up for my absence.
unlikely places.
Holy Week was basically sorted, and as long as
there were people who could lead the services
The Peter Harrison Room was set out for prayer
for our children and young people’s work: different
aspects, from getting in contact with people, through
to welcoming them to faith and discipleship.
The Vintage and Retro Fair was transformed into
Jeremy
the Minster as we normally know it in less than two
hours. The new chairs are proving their worth.
Beverley Minster Magazine/3
E A S T E R E V E C O N F I R M AT I O N
WHAT THE CANDIDATES SAID
I wasn’t baptised as a child, but now in adulthood I have
been able to explore my faith. Baptism and confirmation
is my choice and something that is important to me as a
part of my journey of faith.
Stefan Johnson
I wish to be confirmed as I am ready to take my faith
seriously, become more active in my parish, and share
my faith wherever I can. My sponsor Lisa Stoneman
has guided me through faith and kindness since birth
through good times and hard times without selfishness.
Georgina Baguley
Ordination of women bishops removed a barrier for me:
I had struggled to ignore the inequality. My son joining
the Choir made me reconsider the church and belief. The
music, a genuinely welcoming clergy and congregation,
friendship, and the building itself have given precious
glimpses of God’s grace. I have much still to learn but wish
to state my faith.
Kate Hainsworth-Staples
I want to be confirmed because it makes me feel more
part of the church. It feels like it’s what God wants me to
do. I feel closer to God.
Elizabeth Jukes
I would like to be confirmed because I would like to be
closer to the church. I look forward to being able to
take part in communion properly as well.
I would like to be confirmed so that I can participate fully
in the church community and feel close to God.
Alice Bostwick
Hugo Petch
When I was a baby I was baptised, a decision taken by
my Mum and Dad. Now I am old enough to make this
important decision to become a member of the Church.
I want to take part in the life Jesus has taught me and to
live, by confirming my faith today.
I would like to be confirmed because I think that it will
make me closer to God. This will make me feel more part
of the church, I will understand more about the teachings
of the bible and I feel that God will have left me a space in
heaven.
Niamh Collins
Isabella Watson
Beverley Minster Magazine/4
MY LIFE AS A PORTAGE WORKER – A WHAT?
The most common question I’m asked about
my occupation as a Portage Worker is “you’re
a what?” or “do you work in an airport?”,
“do you carry bags?” Well, part of that is
correct; not suitcases but bags full of toys and
resources.
The Portage Service was named after the
town of Portage in Winsconsin, USA. It was
developed there as a way of supporting parents
in helping their children’s progress at home.
The area was very rural and parents found it
difficult to get to centre-based services.
Portage was first introduced into the UK in
about 1975. There are currently around 140
registered services.
East Riding of Yorkshire Portage Service covers
a largely rural area and is part of the ERYC
Local Education Authority. It is a free home
visiting educational service for pre-school
children with special and additional needs, from
birth to school statutory age and their families.
We work in families’ homes, Portage Groups
at Children’s Centres and by supporting
Pre-schools/Nurseries/Childminders, Health
professionals (Health Visitors, Occupational
Therapists, Physiotherapists and Speech
Therapists) and with Portage volunteers. We
also chair support meetings, take the role of a
family’s Lead Professional and we deliver sign
language training.
My life as a Portage Worker began on 4th July
2002. I feel truly blessed to be able to say that
I thoroughly enjoy my job. We’re a close knit
team of nine, including our very supportive
Supervisor and I work jointly and alongside the
caring staff at the local Children’s Centre.
Portage Workers carry out baseline
assessments to ascertain what skills the
child already has. Looking at the positives,
we work with the family using the child’s
strengths, through a ‘small steps’ approach to
learning, which enables them to make progress
developmentally.
Portage is very, very rewarding, challenging
and varied; families and children are unique
individuals, as are our visits, which we tailor
to the needs of each individual and situation.
The children we work with may have rare
syndromes, recognised conditions such as
Cerebral Palsy, Down’s Syndrome, Autism,
global developmental delay and any other
learning difficulties for which there isn’t always
a name or a diagnosis.
We work with children’s parents, grandparents,
childminders, traveller families, foster carers,
single parents, families where a parent is in
prison, or in the armed forces, or where
English is an additional language, parents who
have their own learning difficulties, who may
be struggling with basic care needs and/or the
ability to teach their child through play.
We aim to gain both parents’ and children’s
trust through listening, observing, giving
them time, including them and giving them
choices to empower them to make informed
decisions. Parents share with the home visitor
their understanding of their child’s individual
gifts, abilities and support needs. Profiles or
developmental checklists may help with this
process of identifying strengths and goals for
future learning when Portage visits begin.
We look beyond the child’s difficulties, at the
bigger picture around them; their siblings,
parents, the family situation, to work on
activities based around play, grounded in
everyday situations to provide fun and success
for the child.
Many different emotions are associated with
our work. The best moments are when a child
takes each tiny step to achieve a new skill, and
each time a parent recognises their child’s
strengths and is able to celebrate them, no
matter how big or small an achievement. We
Beverley Minster Magazine/5
build in strategies to help bring about success,
knowing success breeds success, but which also
challenge.
There are sad moments too: when we say
goodbye as a family leaves us to start the
next chapter on their child’s learning journey.
To some families we are like a family member,
where we help to make a difference, to give
them choices to support and guide them on a
slightly different path to what they expected, to
help their child achieve their potential. It’s sad
too when a child is removed from its parents
for its own safety, and in heart wrenching cases
of the tragic death of children with complex
medical needs, who despite being so very
poorly, having great difficulties and often short
lives, bring great joy to those around them.
Funny moments have included working with a
child whose mum was still in her pyjamas. She’d
forgotten I was going but insisted we continued
with the visit, and on another occasion doing
activities with three under fives and the family
dog who was keen to get in on the act!
On a roller-coaster of emotions, I sometimes
feel like a swan, appearing calm and serene on
the surface but paddling like mad underneath!
Being a parent is hard enough without the
added worry of a child with additional needs.
It is a privilege to be able to help families, who
often have to put idealistic notions behind them
and move forward to enjoy what their child can
give them.
Being a Christian has helped me in my life and
work. Portage is a partnership with children
and their parents, working with each other’s
skills and knowledge, believing and trusting
in one another and valuing and accepting
everyone for who and what they are. Portage
is inclusive and supportive, building on strengths
and abilities rather than focusing on difficulties.
There are many similarities and parallels in my
life as a wife, mum, daughter, friend and Portage
Worker and my relationship with God. He
loves me for what and who I am.
I feel very passionate about my job and the
Portage Service. When our youngest wasn’t
reaching his milestones, we didn’t know about
the service; one health professional said, “he’s
a boy, he’ll catch up”. My dream is to make
sure parents who need early support for their
children can access it, because Portage will help
them. For further information,
visit www.portage.org.uk
Lesley Bowser
Terry Munro asks
WHAT ARE YOU READING?
More than two years ago I used to write a monthly
piece for this magazine commending a book which I felt
might appeal to or help at least some of the readers.
Unfortunately Liz’s first stroke and her eventual death,
took away both my desire and capability to continue this
contribution to the magazine.
TO M A K E YO U T H I N K
I praise God that I feel that I can try to start again
something which gave me great pleasure and (I hope)
some help to others.
So I begin with a short piece in praise of a book which
you may feel should have been recommended two
months earlier than this, but which I believe can be read
and valued at any time.
It is entitled ‘Stations of the Cross’ and its author is
Timothy Radcliffe, an English Dominican friar who, until
recently was the first Englishman to lead the Dominican
Order of friars since the Reformation. It is a short
book, illustrated with delightful, slightly odd and quirky
pictures of the events surrounding the death of Christ
and providing for each event, remarkably simple yet
profound comments on what was going on and how it
can speak to us today.
It could spoil your enjoyment if I unpack things
much further but I may give you two more small
encouragements:•
•
First that I have already mentioned the book to
several members of the Minster congregation, and
found that had already read it and loved it,
Secondly that it has been in the Church Bookshop
in London’s best sellers list for a month.
What more can I say, except that next month I will
recommend a very different book, relevant to today
-- and equally praised, by the previous Archbishop of
Canterbury.
Should the Church be more democratic?
I’m not at all sure that I will bother voting in the forthcoming General Election.
Participating in an outdated and illogical voting system in order to try and secondguess which bunch of politicians will do the least damage to the country over the next
five years is not my idea of citizenship. But it has led me to ponder the question of
democracy in the church.
The Christian church was certainly not born into any tradition of democracy. Even
today we would probably fail to agree on a definition. But while most of us seem to
think that whatever it is, it’s a jolly good thing in secular life, a lot of people are not so
sure when it comes to the church.
As a teenager I joined a Baptist Church where every member (if they wished) had a
personal say and a vote on everything from the colour of the carpet to whom to call
as minister. The latter is obviously a hugely important decision, and everybody had the
chance both to meet the prospective minister and to hear him or her preach before
casting their vote. Debate on this and other serious issues was often heated, and
occasionally acrimonious – but it was open. And every member’s vote had equal weight,
from the most senior deacon or elder down to the newest 16 year old member. And
sound decisions were usually arrived at more speedily than in the C of E!
As an Anglican I miss this type of congregational government. I miss the monthly Church
Meeting. In the C of E there is no forum for ordinary members of a congregation to
express their views directly and on equal terms with everybody else. This is why I have
been trying to get a written forum going in our magazine. “To Make You Think” is not
just about the present writer sounding off every month – it is an attempt to open up a
lively debate on a range of subjects that affect us as Christians or as Anglicans.
(STATIONS OF THE CROSS -- Timothy Radcliffe (Bloomsbury
Barbara Gilman
Publishing £9.99 - or less on line at Amazon)
There is a reply to Barbara’s recent piece about animals and heaven on page 8.
Beverley Minster Magazine/6
Greetings all as we cruise towards the summer
months. I’ve dug out my shorts (apologies
if you’re not fond of tattoos!) – it must be
getting warmer!
Minster Youth and Children had a manic but
wonderful Easter season, with Mini-Messy
Church celebrating, 24/3 Youth praying
and reflecting, and (long afterwards) Team
sleeping…
Please see some of our pictures here of the
overnight 24/3 event where we not only spent
some of the night-time hours experiencing
Prayer Stations and watching the finale of
‘The Passion’ DVD (I highly recommend this
version – far less gory than the Mel Gibson
equivalent, and some interesting takes on the
conversations and events around Holy Week)
– we also had the splendiferous joy of hacking
Ben’s beard off… much to our delight, and
countless others!
Thank you to all who sponsored Ben to get rid
of his facial accompaniment, the money is going
towards MYAC funds, to continue enabling
us to make Jesus known among our children,
young people, families and schools throughout
the area.
It was a humungous joy also to lead five of
our choristers, one of our children and one
Youth Team member through the process of
Confirmation (and Baptism in one case). One
of the choir’s parents was also confirmed
at the Easter Vigil alongside our youth! The
preparation classes were a learning experience
for Ben and me, and brilliant to have Gareth
and Bishop David’s help and support in some
sessions. There’s a lovely photo of these
special young people – please hold them in
your prayers as they continue their Christian
journeys…
One of the more unusual moments from
the last few weeks came as Ben and myself
led children’s activities, did face painting and
dressed up as Bertie the Beaver and a bizarre
Easter lamb as part of Beverley Town Council’s
new monthly Local Produce Markets. We
accosted and hugged a few of the Minster
congregation as they innocently went about
their shopping (I don’t think Rex has quite
recovered from the encounter yet!), and
we had many lovely conversations with stall
holders and particularly children and young
families as they stopped to take part in the
Easter craft activities, and I painted their
faces with butterflies, Spiderman, flowers and
kitties! There’s a positive partnership there
with the Town Council, and we look forward
to working together in subsequent monthly
events – keep an eye out for us on Wednesday
Market next time.
We’re always delighted to talk about the
work and relationships MYAC is involved in,
so please grab us anytime and ask us to tell
you more about what’s happening. Particularly
please do come along to Pray MYAC evenings,
which are just an hour a month dedicated to
offering our MYAC ministries to God, and
praying over everyone who’s part of them
– they’re in the notice sheets and there are
posters up the couple of weeks before…
PLEASE NOTE: WE NEED HELPERS
We have two big events coming up in May and
really need some helpers on the day: the next
Gruffalo Family Day is on Saturday 16th May,
between 9.45 -12.45; the next Youth Café is
on Friday 22nd May, between 19.15 - 21.15.
Please can you help? Contact me on
[email protected]
or 07739 018908.
Thank you.
Lastly, take a peek at the latest Mini-Messy
Church session themed on Jesus’ appearance
to His disciples on the Road to Emmaus –
picture above – for a taster of the kinds of
things our families do each fortnight at Messy.
Thank you for all your love and support,
Emily Hoe
Beverley Minster Magazine/7
‘DOGS OF
LISTENING
(Some thoughts on Barbara Gilman’s article –
‘Will our pets be with us in Heaven?’)
Several weeks ago I went on an
Introduction to Listening course led by
the Acorn Christian Healing Foundation
and organised by Crossline in Hull.
Crossline is a Christian based telephone
listening service for Christian and non
Christian callers. I haven’t yet decided to
volunteer as a listener but I found the day
course very useful and thought provoking
and felt that I would like to try and share
some of my learning with you, maybe to
encourage you to attend a course in the
future. Crossline have told me that they
belong to a national Christian listening
service and that they are overwhelmed by
calls. Having worked professionally as an
advisor for many years and being used to
giving information I found the idea of ‘only’
listening quite challenging. The day course
covered:
•
•
•
Why listening is important
How to listen and respond
Listening to God
Listening is important because it offers a
service or ministry, provides hospitality
and is a means of healing. I’m sure we can
all relate to the positive impact of being
listened to, even if not agreed with! During
the day we talked about listening with our
whole bodies – not being distracted or
giving the impression of wanting to get
away. So when we ask someone, “how are
you?” be prepared to spend time listening
to the answer and not looking at your
watch or over their shoulder, it’s strange
how you can detect this even over the
phone. Listeners can also ask questions,
but the Acorn Trust started us off by
introducing just three questions that they
believe encourage the speaker to move on
in their journey to healing and resolution.
These questions are:
•
•
Out of all you have been saying, what
do you think is the most important?
(Essence)
Is there anything you want to do
•
about it? (Action)
Now we are finishing can you say how
you are feeling? (Emotion)
We practised using these questions and
each time the question was answered it was
summarised and fed back to the speaker
using their own words eg – so you feel
that…….. More advanced courses move
on to look at how these questions can be
developed and the speaker empowered
to take responsibility for their actions and
feelings.
Lastly we looked at some verses to
encourage us about the importance of
communication with God – one of these
is Psalm 18 v6 “In my distress I called to
the Lord, I cried to my God for help. From
his temple he heard my voice; my cry came
before him into his ears”.
The day was challenging because we were
asked to think about what kind of listeners
we were, whether we could listen without
giving advice, being directive, making
assumptions or talking about ourselves. We
needed to recognise this and to understand
that our own experiences and feelings colour
our listening – or act as ‘filters’. I would
definitely recommend this course even
for those people who have no intention of
working as volunteers.
The Acorn Christian Healing Foundation
runs a number of courses on listening,
healing and reconciliation and can be found
on
www.acornchristian.org
Crossline telephone listening is accessed on
03001110101 from 9.00 to 12.00 or
www.crossline.org.uk
A face to face listening service is also
available in Beverley and to make an
appointment you can ring me.
Maureen Kelham
Beverley Minster Magazine/8
One of my favourite ‘lighter’ composers is
George Gershwin. He wrote a funny, jaunty
little piece called ‘Walking the Dog’ which I
would recommend to dog or non dog people
simply because it is so light hearted. It perfectly
depicts ‘man’s best friend’ going ‘walkies’,
sniffing, rooting, heading for trees and meeting
other dogs. I laugh every time I hear it and
think of my own dog Tim. John Barry (the film
score composer of ‘Dances with Wolves’) also
wrote a piece called ‘Crazy Dog’ as a tribute to
his beloved pet. I cry every time I hear it!
The relationship between man and animal has
been expressed in music, poetry, dance and
art, for centuries. It is a response to the animal
world and possibly an acknowledgement, that,
because we share the same creator, the ‘soul’
has to be as much part of their make-up as
ours.
I am a Sheltie (Shetland Sheepdog) person. I
was brought up with them and have had seven
in all. I inherited a lifelong passion for shelties
from my father and his family. ‘Sheltie’ means
a dog of the Shetlands. They were originally
brought there from Norway by sea and used
to tend sheep on the remoter islands. They
became known as ‘Peerie’ dogs (dogs of the
fairies) partly because of their small elfin like
appearance. But their other worldly quality and
uncanny sensitivity gave them a place in the
folklore of the Isles, forever associated with
the ‘life beyond’, the ‘little people’ and their
magic.
Despite this ethereal connection Shelties are
tough. They are built for stormy weather! They
have a fleecy undercoat and a waterproof
outer layer which will withstand the elements.
As pups they are balls of beige and white fur,
with thin tails (like meerkats!) Young shelties
are wilful and defiant like Shetland ponies, but
around six months old, suddenly a wonderful,
gentle dog emerges like a swan from an
ugly duckling. They look at you with great
‘soulfulness’ and tug at your heart. They never
leave you. They understand everything you feel
and, are there as a rock, and a comfort in times
of trouble.
The late Mr Thompson, a gentleman who was
well known and respected, here in Beverley,
T H E FA I R I E S ’
bred Shelties. He had the ‘Manormede’
kennels. I am sure many of you reading this
will remember him taking his sable and white
Shelties on to the Westwood. They were a
glorious sight. People would stop in their
tracks to admire them. In the seventies I had
one of his pups. We called her Heidi, and she
lived to the great age of 17. She is buried in
Woodmansey where I lived for four years.
The breed is now rarely seen in East Yorkshire
and I have had to travel far afield to get a
pup. I went to Scotland to collect Jamie (my
previous dog) returning on the train from
Glasgow Central with an 8 week old ‘wee’
man on my knee. He was very good on the
long journey back to England. Children on the
train were amazed and thrilled to see a puppy
playing on a seat! What joy a living creature
can bring to an everyday situation.
Tim, my present Sheltie (now 2 years old)
came from Thornton le Moor, near Thirsk. He
was cared for at the Skeldale Veterinary Group
(originally Alf White, ‘James Herriot’s’ Practice).
Tim is now my right hand man. Those who
know me, will rarely see me without him.
I have always taken my Shelties to church!
They know instinctively how to behave
there. When I lived in Malton we had a lively
Rogation Annual service at the local church. I
took my dog Jamie. Outside the church there
were sheep, goats and ponies, whilst inside a
variety of pets, including a very rude parrot!
Everyone enjoyed bringing their animals to be
blessed and to share that special fellowship
which creatures give us. No one member of
the large congregation doubted that every
animal present would be sitting in glory at the
right hand of God at the appointed time.
Before I came to Beverley Tim would
accompany me to North Cave church, where
he was welcomed. He would sit on everyone’s
knee after the service to enjoy the biscuits!
Like all animals, dogs are a gift from God. We
are their ‘carers’ on earth, until they return to
‘that far shore’. They can transform lives and
bring happiness and healing. When they leave
us, it is as if we have lost an arm or a leg, the
bond is so strong. My father always insisted on
burying our Shelties himself. He would dig the
grave and then cradle the dog in his arms, and
cry. One of my favourite hymns is ‘All things
bright and beautiful’. The lines particularly ‘He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.’
Also a favourite poem which, at its conclusion,
perfectly sums up our responsibility to the
animal world, and assures me, that no creature
God has made will be denied a place in his
kingdom:
‘He prayeth best who liveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us
He made and loveth all.’
‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner ‘ - Samuel Taylor
Coleridge
Many years ago I attended a Christian
Spiritualist Meeting in Pearson Park. I was
doing some research and wanted to get an
overview of this often ridiculed religion. It was
a quiet, sunny May evening. The large room
was packed with ordinary jolly people who
welcomed me in and offered tea and biscuits!
There were flowers everywhere, colourful and
highly scented. When I commented on them a
lady said ‘The spirits love flowers’.
I sat down and felt a great sense of
peace which I have never felt since in any
‘conventional’ church. After singing a hymn the
‘medium’ was introduced. She was a ‘comely’
Yorkshire lady who quickly looked around
the room saying that she had so many ‘souls’
waiting to be with us she hoped she would be
able to fit them all in!
Suddenly she directed her gaze on me and
said ‘Don’t move your feet!’ She laughed and
continued ‘There is a dog sitting next to you –
he’s beautiful’. She then went on to describe
Beverley Minster Magazine/9
a Sheltie I had recently lost. By that time I
was in tears, but I asked, ‘Can he see me?’ ‘Yes’
she replied, ‘he is very close to you – reach
down and stroke him’. I did, and felt a sense
of warmth in my hand. The medium told me
that members of my family who had died, were
caring for him. She then said ‘He is happy and
will wait till you come. Remember there is
no time, however long it is for you, to him it is
nothing’. The experience stayed with me and
the kindness and warmth of those I met.
So, is all this sentimental rubbish, the ‘opium
of the people’? Perhaps, but the rushing wind
of Pentecost which breathed the life of the
Spirit into the first Christians so that they
were moved to speak ‘in tongues’ assures me
that we are always only a hairsbreadth away
from the ‘other side’. I have no doubt that
we will recognise those we loved on earth,
both animal and human. ‘Love’ is the key to
the door and the link between mortal and
immortal.
Wordsworth so perfectly summed all this up in
his ‘Intimations of Immortality’:
‘Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home:’
(From ‘Recollections of Early Childhood’)
Jeannie McMillan
PS I recently asked an old friend if he thought
his cats would go to Heaven. ‘Why aye’ he
replied ‘where else would they go?’ and added
with a grin – ‘hope there’s a cat flap!’
Harpham to gather and send wild flowers to put on the tomb of St. John of
Beverley in the Minster.
Thanks and appreciation are due to Miss Goodson, the school mistress at
Harpham, and to her scholars for their great kindness……
The Reverend F G Hansford, Priest-in-Charge of Woodmansey sums up the
month of May 1948 in the Church calendar:-
F RO M T H E
ARCHIVES
As I am ‘Sally Owl’ at Tickton Brownies, my daughter being ‘Brown
Owl’, I have been assigned the task of a history walk around
the village for the Brownies when they meet on Wednesdays.
This would happily coincide with the weekly visit of the fish and
chip van so we could order a bag of chips for each Brownie as
a treat! I needed to explore the village myself and started with
the very useful ‘village history board’ in Main Street, made a few
notes, walked up to Hull Bridge admiring the boats and barges on
the River Hull, then back down the Main Street to ‘New Tickton’
which leads across the bypass to Tickton Grange.
On the way I took a photo of the delightful church in Tickton
looking particularly pretty with daffodils adorning the pathway
up to the church door. St. Paul’s was built in 1844 as a Chapel of
Ease to Beverley Minster. It cost £850 and was, rather strangely,
consecrated by the Bishop of Bangor in 1845.
In May 1948 the Reverend Collwyn Hargreaves was rather
concerned at the state of the little church and wrote a piece in the
Magazine:My dear Friends,
Do you like the ivy growing on the Church porch and wall? I was
looking at it the other day, and there is no doubt that it is doing
the stonework and roof no good. At the same time I noticed that
the roof needs attention. Several tiles are off and several more
are loose. The interior walls of the Church are peeling, and would
look very much better if the paint now flaking off were scraped
clean away. A section of about thirty yards of the West wall of the
churchyard is beginning to fall down. I am afraid this will mean
an expensive repair: but it ought to be done as soon as possible.
The Vicar mentions other events in the May Magazine such as
the impending visit of the 5 Bishops from Africa, the Upper
Nile, Willochra, Australia and Algoma, Ontario. Also Reverend
Hargreaves hoped to have the Rev. and Mrs. Walter Beswick joining
the Minster and was still hoping for a response to an appeal to try
and find Mr. Beswick a home. This would be Rev. Beswick’s first
Parish. Unfortunately this was not to be, as in the next month’s
magazine it was stated that accommodation could not be found at
this time which was a big disappointment.
Now we come to Ascensiontide and Whitsun, and I want to commend to you
the Services for these Festivals. These are beautiful Festivals and so full of
meaning and help for us to-day.
Sally George
MEMORIES OF MAY
For centuries the month of May has been special. It was seen as the
end of Winter and a time to celebrate. The Celtic peoples observed
it as a holiday known as Beltane. Cattle were driven out to summer
pastures. Bonfires were lit. The flames, smoke and ashes were believed
to have protective powers and people would walk round the fires
with their cattle, or leap over the flames and embers. Holy wells were
visited; while Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty and maintain
youthfulness.
So many May customs developed over the centuries - Maypole dancing;
beating the bounds, when the people would process around the
parishes; selecting the May Queen and her attendants; and in High
Wycombe, Buckinghamshire “Weighing the Mayor” before and after his
term of office. There would be jeers if he had gained weight. All over
the country there were celebrations second only to Christmas.
Beverley had its “Rammalation Day” when boys would scramble for
money, nuts and oranges in the hedges and ditches around the town.
Those reaching the Boundary Stones would receive a shilling.
When I read articles for the May magazine were to be handed in, I
went back in my mind to my days in the Brownies and Guides. At
the Baptist Church that I attended in Coventry, the “May Morning”
Service was special. There was an informal service at 8.00 am. We sang
lovely Spring time hymns. Then deacons and various leaders would be
thanked and told that there was a plant or bunch of flowers for them
on the platform. After a short talk by the Minister and more hymns
and prayers, we would be off with our “breakfast packs” to the nearby
common. Then we would play “Hide and Seek” and “Sardines” around
the common before returning to Church for “Church Parade”. We just
loved it. At one of the Services we would sing:
Sing a song of May-time,
Sing a song of Spring;
Flowers are in their beauty,
Birds are on the wing.
In the same Magazine St. John of Beverley Day was mentioned
and, the tradition of many years, was for the school children of
Beverley Minster Magazine/10
May-time, Playtime,
God has given us May-time;
Thank Him for his gift of love
And sing a song of Spring.
Lorna Jones
C U R AT E ’ S
CORNER
G A R E T H AT H A
I’ve recently joined the twenty first century,
well, almost. I have recently upgraded to an
iPhone, and once I had set it up, I have been
amazed at this clever little gadget with more
computing power than my first PC. What
has impressed me most is that the calendar
somehow knows when my contacts’ birthdays
are, and even knows when Rachael and I
got married (very handy when it comes to
remembering my wedding anniversary). I’ve
yet to figure out exactly how it knows all of
this, but it will be very useful when the time
comes! It seems to know important dates and
milestones, amazing!
Milestones seem to be fantastic, and I don’t
know anybody else, but I particularly like
the “whizzing” sound they make as they go
hurtling by. Holy Week and Easter, indeed, my
first Holy Week and Easter amongst you all,
have now come and gone, seemingly in the
blink of an eye. What a fabulous time they
were, with Compline, prayers around the cross,
Stainer’s Crucifixion (another first for me),
a Confirmation service, and then the joy of
Easter Sunday itself. The only downer to the
period was that poor Jeremy wasn’t very well.
Other than that it was a perfect Easter. Even
the weather ended up being kind to us as the
Easter Weekend gave way to Easter week. The
sunshine has been glorious!
As the weather changes Rachael and I
have been able to get more done in the
curate’s house garden. The Mahonia tree
that previously blocked the light from the
big flower bed has been cut back and bulbs
have been planted. We now have cowslip,
Anemone, tulips, and various other plants
all displaying themselves beautifully. The bird
feeder is attracting more birds to the garden;
blackbirds, dunnocks, robins, starlings, and the
occasional blue tit now put in appearances.
Usually though they all rather sensibly clear
off when they see the woodpigeon coming.
You see, we have a woodpigeon which visits us
every day, and it scares off all the other birds.
I have taken to calling it “the General” and
have been known to go out of the back door
waving my arms and flapping like a fledgling
on its first test flight in an effort to scare it off
and bring the other birds back. All of this avian
tourism in our garden has proved my rather
pessimistic proclamation that living in a town
would prove a “bird desert” wrong – happily.
It is lovely to see the birds and flowers all
symbolising new life springing up all around us.
Perhaps the greatest symbol of new life for this
time of year is the egg, birds’ eggs, chickens’
eggs (yes I know, they’re birds too, but I have
to make up my word count somehow) and
especially Easter Eggs, all show us that new life
is possible.
The young people at Tickton went out for
an Easter Egg hunt while I was preaching,
which seemed like a very good idea to me.
When they all came back in, their little baskets
were laden with goodies that they had found
hidden in all the nooks and crannies of the
church-yard. It was with beaming faces that
they proudly showed the congregation what
they had discovered. While they were off
searching for booty in egg form, I talked about
“Galilee moments” - those moments when
we first encountered Jesus, with as much joy,
excitement, and perhaps as much of a sense of
stepping into the unknown as the first disciples
in Galilee.
Beverley Minster Magazine/11
Yes, eggs are very important,, and Easter,
and spring, which seems to have sprung,
is a time of celebrating new life. There are
buds in the trees, the flowers are coming
up through the ground and blossoming, the
birds all seem to be nesting, getting ready for
settling down to their broods. In all of this
we celebrate the new life given by Jesus. But,
how about celebrating old life as well? Looking
backwards once in a while and saying “ah yes,
I remember that”. How about celebrating
those moments when we first walked with
Jesus, and remembering how it felt. Celebrating
what we have accomplished in our walks with
God and the adventures along the way. It is
these moments which give us the “oomph”
which propels us into the present and beyond.
They are a little bit like plugging in a mobile
phone to charge it up, so that we can carry
on connecting with people. The memory of
our “Galilee moments”, our moments in our
lives when we meet Jesus, charge us up to
keep connecting with people and with God. I
think that we should go around trying to hunt
out these special moments in our walk with
God in the same way that our young (and
sometimes not so young) people go around at
Easter and try to uncover Easter Eggs, or as
our blackbirds grub around the earth trying to
find mealworms.
So let’s look forward into spring to see the
new life, but let’s also keep connected with
the old, and enjoy living in the between times,
right now. Now, if you’ll excuse me, that
woodpigeon is on final approach.....
God bless you all.
THE REGISTERS OF BEVERLEY MINSTER
Published MAY 2015
Baptisms
At Beverley Minster
22 March 2015
22 March 2015
22 March 2015
22 March 2015
22 March 2015
22 March 2015
22 March 2015
22 March 2015
22 March 2015
04 April 2015
MINSTER
MAINTENANCE
SOLDIERS’ CHAPEL FLAGS
Aston Anthony Edmond
Logan Lewis Aston
David Anthony Edmond
Charlie Marie Aston
Lily Alice Coates
Isabella Amelia Elvidge
Taylor John Stanley Elvidge
Harrison Stewart Steven Elvidge
Poppy-Rose Kerry Elvidge
Stefan Paul Johnson
At St Leonard’s, Molescroft
12 April 2015
Zak Isco Booty
During February Steve and I had the task of moving the flags
from the West side of the South transept, to the East side in
the Soldiers’ Chapel. This now means all the flags are above the
Soldiers’ Chapel.
A new three way bracket has been made by Scope engineering
in Beverley, this is mounted on the window ledge, we placed the
four brackets that we removed from the west side, these are
fixed to the wall. All the flags have been re-sited along with two
new ones on the three way bracket. One of the flags is the last
flag to be flown in battle by the British Army.
Weddings
At Beverley Minster
17 April 2015
18 April 2015
Nicholas Peter Wise and Alison Lorna Verity
Michael Ian Kenway and Sarah Kate Carlisle
A good clean of the whole area including on top of the
cenotaph, and an inspection and survey for any damage has
resulted in a job well done.
Steve Rial and Paul Hawkins
Funerals
20 March 2015
25 March 2015
27 March 2015
16 April 2015
Cecil Harrison (92)
Peter Frampton Harris (81)
Colin Thompson (76)
Doris Simpson (88)
Since February 2015 the information published in The Registers has been
available on our website (in the Resources menu) and those who receive
the free eNewsletter are provided with a direct link to this information.
Beverley Minster Parish Centre, 38 Highgate, Beverley, HU17 0DN Telephone: 01482 868540
Email: [email protected] Website: www.beverleyminster.org.uk
Beverley Minster Parish Magazine is published by Beverley Minster Parochial Church Council. Views expressed by contributors
do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial team or the publishers.
Copy date for the JUNE edition: Friday 22 May
Editorial Team: Content: Marjorie and Julian Neaum ([email protected]) design: Mervyn King
(e: [email protected]), distribution: John Grimshaw (t: 01482 871370), proof-reading: June Stephenson.
Beverley Minster Magazine/12