THE PARISH CHURCH OF SAINT MARY PENWORTHAM
Annual Subscription £6.00
FEBRUARY 2017
By Post £12.00
Single Copy 50p
From the Editors
Happy New Year and welcome to the February 2017 edition of the magazine. We
hope that the Christmas festivities went well for you and that you managed to get
some respite from the hurly burly which often surrounds Christmas. We are now in
Epiphany (Greek epiphainein “reveal”) when we remember the manifestation of Christ
to the world as represented by the Magi. Some traditions hold that the three kings
(Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar) represent Europe, Arabia and Africa respectively,
although the Bible does not say that there were three kings and neither does it name
them.
Their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh are said to symbolise Christ’s kingship, his
priestly role and his death and resurrection. The season of Epiphany extends to Ash
Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. So in this season of Epiphany let us remember
Christ’s kingship, his divinity and his suffering for us. Let us also manifest our own
divinity to the world. “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good
works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven”. Matt 5-16.
February 14th brings us St.Valentine’s Day when traditionally young (and not so
young!) men and women profess their love for one another by sending cards and
offering gifts of flowers and chocolates
"The day is ending,
The night is descending;
The marsh is frozen,
The river dead.
Through clouds like ashes
The red sun flashes
On village windows
That glimmer red."
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,
Afternoon in February
Contents:
Sparks for Children
Cinema Sunday will resume the first week in February (5th) and will then be on the first Sunday of
every month thereafter.
For more information contact Simon on 07789
645138 or Maureen on 01772 749521
The secret of happiness is renunciation.
Andrew Carnegie
From the Editors
Church News
The Great War
All in the month of
Organisations
Parish Thanks
Calendar
Matters of Faith
Miscellaneous
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From the Editors
SAINT MARY’S NEWS
Magazine
Subscriptions for the coming year are now due. The price is unchanged at £6 per
year or £12 for postal delivery.
We hope you enjoy reading St Mary’s church magazine and that you will continue
subscribing to it.
Over recent months we have experimented by offering the magazine free of charge
firstly in Penwortham Library (sadly now closed) and more recently in Andreas Fish
and Chips, Peter Booths Optician and Manor Lane Newsagents. The idea behind
this is to try to extend the reach of St Mary’s to the wider community. We are however extremely grateful to those of you who subscribe year on year as this enables us
to continue producing th magazine which has being in print since 1856. We also
thank the various businesses who support us through their advertising.
If you would like to subscribe to the magazine, join the teams who collate and deliver
the magazine, display the magazine in your business or wish to discontinue your subsciption please let us know. You can contact the editors (Iain Jenkins 07885
408636) or our Circulation Manager Jill Howe on 01772 743958
Christian Aid Week 14th-20th May 2017
2017 marks the 70th anniversary of the first House to House collections by Christian
Aid and this now the only nationwide house to house collection for money in the
UK. It remains the biggest single source of income to Christian Aid’s general funds,
invaluable to them to be able to respond without restriction to the many and varied
calls that may be made upon them .
It is therefore important that that we continue to play our part in making these collections possible in the part of Penwortham for which we are responsible. I am as
always very grateful to the many people who do give their time to help with the
collections. There remains a need for more people to help, either to fill vacancies
left by those no longer able to help or to cover areas where we do not currently
collect. You do not need to work alone, if you would like to work with someone
else or as a group then that can be arranged. Collectors must be over 16, younger
people may help deliver envelopes. If you would be able to help during the week of
14th- 20th May, or would like to know more about what is involved and how much
time is needed, then please do contact me
Rachel Tuke 01772 460142
CHURCH HALL
We would have hoped by now to be able to make announcements about the future
of our church hall. However conversations continue with the diocese and other
parties and these are at a delicate stage. Please continue to pray for those making
important decisions for the future of our parish. When we are able to give more
updates we will do so.
Vicar and Churchwardens
From the Editors
YOUnity at Saint Mary’s
We have a new calendar of events for the coming year and we hope tht you will be
able to join us.
The events until July are:
Prose and Poetry Evening
Brockholes Nature Reserve
Tuesday 28th February 7.30pm
Sunday 21st May 3.00 pm
Light refreshments including pancakes
for dessert
Lawn Mower Museum, Southport
Craft Afternoon
Friday March 17th 11.00 am to 3.00pm
Wednesday 14th June 3.00 pm
Quiz and Pasta Evening
A Drink in the Continental
Friday April 7th, 7.30 pm
Wednesday 5th July 7.30 pm
For more details contact
Jacqui Nelson 01772 743143, 07930264004; Annette Ramsden 07947691472;
Rachel Cunliffe [email protected]
Church News
Churches support Hull’s year as City of Culture 2017
As Hull has become City of Culture for 2017, so the churches of Hull have responded with an initiative of their own. ‘Believe in Hull’ is a team made up of different churches who will work together this year to contribute to the city as it plays its
role of City of Culture 2017.
The churches explain it this way: "Communities of Culture is an ecumenical project
to share our God-given creativity with each other, in our communities, during Hull’s
2017 City of Culture year.
“Churches are the only places that can truly help their communities to engage with
2017. Collectively we have passion, buildings and resources in every community in
the city, so we are ideally placed to help develop and create new Communities of
Culture.
“Culture isn’t just for people who go the Ferens gallery or the Guildhall. We want all
churches to bring out the culture of their communities and celebrate what’s wonderful about them. Helping people flourish where they are living is exactly what
churches are all about. Jesus says about Himself in John’s Gospel, ‘I came that they
may have life, and have it abundantly’. In Hull in 2017, we have a unique opportunity
to help people engage in an abundant life. Let’s get started.”
http://www.believeinhull.org.uk/
How can a stranger tell if two people are married?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
- Derrick, age 8
3
Church News
First multi-faith homeless shelter is opened
The first multi-faith homeless shelter started in Leicester late last year. More than
200 volunteers from six different faith groups took part in the One Roof Leicester
initiative, which involved moving around different faith venues over 11 weeks, as it
provides food and emergency accommodation for ten rough sleepers each night.
The shelter brings together Anglican, Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh
groups across the area. The project is funded by the charities Human Appeal and
Housing Justice and Near Neighbours, administered by Church Urban Fund.
UK’s earliest monks?
What is believed to be the oldest example of monasticism in the UK has recently
been found at the medieval Beckery Chapel, near Glastonbury. According to a recent story in The Times, skeletons unearthed at this site, which is said to have been
visited by King Arthur, date from the 5th or early 6th century AD. http://
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/remains-are-uks-earliest-known-monks-kqjmk03s8
The Great War
DRIVER ROBERT FINCH, 101st BRIGADE, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY (RFA) WHO DIED ON 2ND FEBRUARY 1917
Robert was a member of HQ, 101st (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA, and died on 2nd February 1917, at the age of 20. He is buried in the family grave in the churchyard because
he did not die on active service. He was invalided back to the UK owing to illness, and
died of malaria at the Wardown Hospital in Luton. The hospital occupied the building
that is now Wardown Park Museum. It first opened as an army hospital in October
1914. Robert’s name appears on both the church memorial and the town memorial in
Liverpool Road. I have no personal information about Robert or his family although I
do have some information about where he was serving before he fell ill. The 101st Brigade were part of the 22nd Division with whom they served throughout the war. The
101st were briefly on the western front, but only between September and October
1915. At the end of October 1915 the 22nd Division were sent to Salonika and remained there for the rest of the war. Salonika is in northern Greece to the south of
Macedonia, Serbia and Bulgaria. The whole of that region became unsettled after the
failure of the campaign in the Dardanelles. There was unrest and fighting between
Greek and Turkish backed forces for the rest of the war, British forces of course supporting the Greeks against the Turks and their allies in the Balkans.
John Kay – 15th January 2017
You cannot find knowledge by rearranging your ignorance. Ronald Eyre
All in the Month of February
It was:
400 years ago, on 6th Feb 1617 that Prospero Alpini, Italian physician and botanist,
died. He is credited with the introduction of coffee and bananas to Europe.
300 years ago, on 19th Feb 1717 that David Garrick, British actor, playwright, producer and theatre manager was born. He was manager of London’s Drury Lane
Theatre for 29 years, and made it one of the leading theatres in Europe.
150 years ago, on 15th Feb 1867 that Johann Strauss’s waltz The Blue Danube was
performed for the first time, in Vienna, Austria.
125 years ago, on 22nd Feb 1892 that Oscar Wilde’s comedy play, Lady Windermere’s Fan, was performed for the first time, in London.
100 years ago, on 13th Feb 1917 that the WW1 Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan Mata Hari was arrested in France and charged with spying for Germany (she
was executed later that year).
75 years ago, on 8-15th Feb that the WW2 Battle of Singapore took place. This
Japanese victory led to their occupation of Singapore until Sep 1945.
70 years ago, on 7th Feb 1947 that the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in
caves in Khirbat Qumran (now in the West Bank, Palestine).
70 years ago, on 12th Feb 1947 that Lord Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten
of Burma, became the last Viceroy of India.
65 years ago, on 6th Feb 1952 that King George VI died, and was succeeded by his
daughter, Elizabeth II.
Also 65 years ago, on 17th Feb 1952 that Winston Churchill announced that Britain had developed its own atomic bomb.
40 years ago, on 4th Feb 1977 that Fleetwood Mac released its album, Rumours. It
became one of the best-selling albums of all time, selling more than 45 million copies
worldwide.
25 years ago, on 7th Feb 1992 that the Maastricht Treaty was signed, establishing
the European Union (with effect from 1st Nov 1993).
15 years ago, on 4th Feb 2002, that Cancer Research UK was founded. It is now
the world’s largest independent cancer research and awareness charity.
Also 15 years ago, on 13th Feb 2002 that the former mayor of New York City,
Rudolph Giuliani, received an honorary knighthood from the Queen, in recognition
of his work following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Is it better to be single or married?
I don't know which is better, but I'll tell you one thing. I'm never going to have sex
with my wife. I don't want to be all grossed out. - Theodore, age 8
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them. - Anita, age 9
5
Organisations
Mothers’ Union
Guild of St. Mary
Our next meeting will be at 2pm on
Tuesday the 7th of February in the Club
Room at the Church Hall. Our Vicar has
agreed to preside over a service of Holy
Communion. This will be followed by a
Jacob's Join. As usual visitors will be welcome.
P M Wootton
Our first meeting following our January
AGM is on February 27th 7.30pm at
our new premises in Priory Lane.
Mr Damien Carr from Garstang will be
talking to us about his life and work as
a Jeweller. See yo there.
Ann Yates
The Parish Thanks
ALTAR FLOWERS
February 5th
February 12th
February 19th
February 26th
Mrs. Banister
Jill Howe & Gay Hetherington
VACANCY
David & Maureen Thornton
ALTAR LINEN
February : Mrs Julia Kimberley
Ian Banister
Derrick & Joyce Sinclair
Their parents
“A Rainbow of Hope for Children of Africa”
A Concert
by the
South Ribble Concert Band
Big band and popular light music, film themes and music from the shows
followed by a Supper
Friday February 3rd 7.30pm
Hutton Village Hall PR4 5SE
Proceeds to FOMO, the Rainbow of Hope Uganda and Christian Aid
Fairtrade stall
Raffle
Tickets £7
01772 613500 01772 612951
Editor: Tim Lenton looks back with fondness on a certain well-known album…
Fleetwood Mac’s masterpiece
Fleetwood Mac, the reinvented rock band that survived a self-destructive, druggy
lifestyle, released the album that was arguably their masterpiece 40 years ago, on 4th
Feb 1977.
Rumours, recorded in California, became one of the best-selling albums of all time,
selling more than 45 million copies worldwide. It contained, incidentally, The Chain –
the song that is now best known as the introduction to TV coverage of Formula
One.
Yet this was far from the Fleetwood Mac founded by brilliant blues guitarist Peter
Green (originally Greenbaum) in the UK in the late 1960s. With fellow guitarist Jeremy Spencer, Green was reported in 1969 to be working on an album telling the life
story of Jesus, but this never materialised. Green consistently rejected the materialistic lifestyle, but was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Meanwhile, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, drummer and bass guitarist respectively, were looking for a lead guitarist who would stick with them, and eventually
Fleetwood heard one, by chance, when he was visiting a sound studio in California.
This was Lindsey Buckingham, who agreed to join them on condition that his girlfriend could come too.
This has to rank as one of the happiest “accidents” in rock music, because the girlfriend was Stevie Nicks, who became the charismatic lead singer for the band and
writer of some of their most memorable songs. Her friendship with the other female star in the band, Christine McVie (who rejoined Fleetwood Mac in 2014 after a
16-year absence), was also key to the band’s survival.
As to the album, Mick Fleetwood is reported as saying: “Rumours became the church
that saved us from the hell of our own lives.”
7
Calendar
1st
2nd
6.30 pm
9.30 am
10.00-12.00 noon
10.00-12.00 noon
7.30 pm
5th
THE FOURTH SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
8.15 am
Holy Communion (Order 2)
10.15 am
Holy Communion (Order 1) with Sparks (Children’s
Ministry) : Cinema Sunday begins today
2.00 pm
Mothers Union : Holy Communion followed by
Jacob’s Join
6.30 pm
Christian Meditation
9.30 am
Holy Communion
10.00-12.00 noon Churchyard Maintenance
10.00-12.00 noon Open Church
7.30 pm
Bell Ringing Practice
7th
8th
9th
12th
15th
16th
19th
22nd
26th
Christian Meditation
Holy Communion
Churchyard Maintenance
Open Church
Bell Ringing Practice
THE THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
8.15 am
Holy Communion (Order 2)
10.15 am
Holy Communion (Order 1) with Sparks (Children’s
Ministry)
6.30 pm
Christian Meditation
9.30 am
Holy Communion
10.00-12.00 noon Churchyard Maintenance
10.00-12.00 noon Open Church
7.30 pm
Bell Ringing Practice
THE SECOND SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
8.15 am
Holy Communion (Order 2)
10.15 am
Holy Communion (Order 1) with Sparks (Children’s
Ministry)
6.30 pm
Christian Meditation
9.30 am
Holy Communion
10.00-12.00 noon Churchyard Maintenance
10.00-12.00 noon Open Church
7.30 pm
Bell Ringing Practice
SUNDAY NEXT BEFORE LENT
8.15 am
Holy Communion (Order 2)
10.15 am
Holy Communion (Order 1) with Sparks (Children’s
Ministry)
Calendar
26th
27th
28th
3.00-5.00 pm
7.30 pm
7.30 pm
FAB (Faith and Belonging)
Guild of St Mary (Priory Lane)
YOUnity Prose and Poetry Evening
MARCH
12st ASH WEDNESDAY
6.30 pm
Christian Meditation
7.30 pm
Imposition of Ashes
UK is a ‘digital desert’
Ever wonder why you can’t get a signal when out and about? It is because Britain
has worse mobile internet coverage than Romania, Albania and Peru. In fact, the UK
suffers from vast ‘digital deserts’ which leave some 20 per cent of urban homes and
80 per cent of rural premises currently ‘not-spots’ for 4G coverage.
A recent investigation by the Government’s National Infrastructure Commission has
found that the UK is in 54th position in global rankings for 4G, with typical users able
to access the service only 53 per cent of the time. It warns that Britain is
‘languishing in the digital slow lane’, and that even major city centres are lacking full
coverage.
Matters of Faith
PLEASE PRAY
for those recently baptised:
20th November
James Michael Duke, the son of Richard Antony Duke and
Rachel Elizabeth Duke
for those whol have recently married:
16th December
David Frederick Dean and Jenny Sarah Gooch
for those who have recently died
Gary Freeman
Kathleen Hemingway
Joan Preston
Jean Gornall
Joyce Bradshaw
Tim Wilby
Vera Carroll
Jana Cartmell
9
Matters of Faith
HIGH DAYS AND HOLY DAYS
2nd February
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple/
Candlemas
In bygone centuries, Christians said their last farewells to the Christmas season on
Candlemas, 2 February. This is exactly 40 days after Christmas Day itself.
In New Testament times 40 days old was an important age for a baby boy: it was
when they made their first ‘public appearance’. Mary, like all good Jewish mothers,
went to the Temple with Jesus, her first male child - to ‘present him to the Lord’. At
the same time, she, as a new mother, was ‘purified’. Thus we have the Festival of the
Presentation of Christ in the Temple.
So where does the Candlemas bit come in? Jesus is described in the New Testament
as the Light of the World, and early Christians developed the tradition of lighting
many candles in celebration of this day. The Church also fell into the custom of
blessing the year’s supply of candles for the church on this day - hence the name,
Candlemas.
The story of how Candlemas began can be found in Luke 2:22-40. Simeon’s great
declaration of faith and recognition of who Jesus was is of course found in the Nunc
Dimittis, which is embedded in the Office of Evening Prayer in the West. But in medieval times, the Nunc Dimittis was mostly used just on this day, during the distribution of candles before the Eucharist. Only gradually did it win a place in the daily
prayer life of the Church.
3rd February
Blaise – the cure for sore throats
St Blaise is the saint for you if you have a sore throat, or a pet who is ill. He was
born in Sebastea, ancient Armenia, (now Sivas, in Turkey) sometime during the late
3rd century, and became a physician. But his compassion did not stop there: he went
on to become bishop of Sebastea, and thus a physician of souls. Known for his dedication to prayer, Blaise taught by his own example of virtue and sanctity, as much as
by his words. His ministry was accompanied by many miracles of healing, and people
(and animals) came flocking to him from near and far.
When in 316 the governor of Cappadocia and Lesser Armenia began a persecution of
Christians, Blaise was arrested. As he was being led to prison, a distraught mother,
whose only child was choking to death on a fishbone, threw herself at his feet and
begged for help. Blaise prayed, and immediately the child was cured. Regardless, the
governor had him beaten and beheaded. But the miracle was not forgotten by the
people who loved him, and Blaise became the patron saint of illnesses of the throat,
and of wild beasts.
Blaise was one of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages. There are several
churches named after him in England, from Cornwall to Oxfordshire
23 is the best age to marry because you know the person FOREVER by then. Camille, age 10
Matters of Faith
11th February
Caedmon - the poetic shepherd
Caedmon (d 680) should be the patron saint of all farmers who enjoy humming to
themselves as they do the lambing this Spring. For Caedmon of Whitby was a bit
like David in the Bible – he grew up as a simple herdsman out on the hills who enjoyed composing songs and poetry for himself while watching his flocks.
Like David, Caedmon also had a keen awareness of God, and used his creative gift to
express his devotion and love for his Creator. When his poems and songs became
known to others, they liked them so much that soon Caedmon left his sheep in order to become a monk. This gave him time to compose many poems based on the
stories in the Bible: from Creation and Genesis, to the Exodus and entry of the Jews
into the promised land, to the birth, passion and resurrection of Christ, and finally to
the future Last Judgement, Heaven, and Hell.
Then one day Caedmon suddenly announced that he knew he was going to die soon.
And so he did, in a state of charity and peace with everyone. There was great
mourning.
Sadly, only nine lines of his poetry has survived, and we have the great historian,
Bede, to thank for even that much. But in his time, Caedmon’s gift of telling Christian stories in the vernacular must have been of great value in evangelising the common folk.
14th February
St Valentine’s Day
There are two confusing things about this day of romance and anonymous love-cards
strewn with lace, cupids and ribbon: firstly, there seems to have been two different
Valentines in the 4th century - one a priest martyred on the Flaminian Way, under
the emperor Claudius, the other a bishop of Terni martyred at Rome. And neither
seems to have had any clear connection with lovers or courting couples.
So why has Valentine become the patron saint of romantic love? By Chaucer’s time
the link was assumed to be because on these saints’ day -14 February - the birds are
supposed to pair. Or perhaps the custom of seeking a partner on St Valentine’s Day
is a surviving scrap of the old Roman Lupercalia festival, which took place in the middle of February. One of the Roman gods honoured during this Festival was Pan, the
god of nature. Another was Juno, the goddess of women and marriage. During the
Lupercalia it was a popular custom for young men to draw the name of a young unmarried woman from a name-box. The two would then be partners or ‘sweethearts’
during the time of the celebrations. Even modern Valentine decorations bear an ancient symbol of love - Roman cupids with their bows and love-arrows.
There are no churches in England dedicated to Valentine, but since 1835 his relics
have been claimed by the Carmelite church in Dublin.
No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get married. Freddie, age 6
11
Matters of Faith
Editor: Canon David Winter looks forward to Lent…
THE WAY I SEE IT : Resisting Temptation
Immediately after His baptism in the river Jordan, Jesus faced and resisted three
powerful temptations during 40 days in the wilderness of Judaea. This time of testing
and temptation was His preparation for the work God had sent Him to do on earth.
It’s the principle behind the season of Lent, which begins on 1st March. Although the
temptations were personal to Jesus, I suspect most of us will recognize their relevance in our own lives.
The first was simple. ‘You’re hungry. You can do miracles. Well, turn these hot
stones at your feet into loaves of bread’. It sounds quite plausible, but in fact it’s an
invitation to put one’s own needs first. Temptation rejected.
Then came the second: ‘throw yourself off a pinnacle of the Temple. You know that
God will send His angels to catch you before you hit the ground’. Again, it’s plausible
(there was even a verse from the Bible to back it up). But this would be to substitute
one spectacular stroke for the hard slog of travel, preaching, healing and touching
individual lives. Temptation rejected.
The third was outrageous. ‘Fall down and worship corrupt and evil power, and you
will have infinite worldly power and success’. In other words, abandon your principles and reap rewards. For the third time, temptation resisted.
I know these temptations were tests of the Messiah Jesus, but can’t we see in them
temptations that come to all of us from time to time? Look after number one, and all
will be well. Take the short cut to success and avoid all the hard slog. Compromise,
in order to fulfill your ambitions. Or walk the narrow path of honesty, commitment
and truth. That’s really the Lenten choice.
Editor: David Winter is happy to be a member of the public….
Join the Public!
‘When I arrived at the scene, a member of the public was assisting the victim’. We all
recognize that as ‘police-speak’. To a police officer the world consists of other officers, paramedics, members of the armed forces and this mysterious identity,
‘member of the public’.
I’m one, and so probably are you. But when did I join? And what exactly is this club I
belong to? I know what ‘public’ is – public toilets, public houses, public right of way.
But all of those mean ‘for everybody’. How does one join ‘everybody’?
It can get odder. The word ‘public’ derives from the amalgamation of two Latin
words: ‘people’ and ‘adult’. So was I automatically enrolled as a ‘member of the public’ when I was born, or when I became an adult? I’m very happy to be a member of
the public (along with all the other bodies I voluntarily belong to). But it would help
to know what the terms and conditions of membership are, and what the subscription is.
Miscellaneous
Men go up nearly a stone
If you think those old photographs of you make you look slimmer, you are probably
right: men today weigh on average 13s 5lb, almost a stone more than those 20 years
ago, while women are on average 11st 3lb, or three quarters of a stone heavier.
The study by Cancer Research UK warns that soaring obesity levels are risking lives.
Yet excess weight is the largest preventable cause of cancer, after smoking.
Why you may soon be buying blue cheese and squid
This year, you will probably buy more blue cheese and less cheddar cheese. (Sales of
cheddar fell by £60m last year). On the other hand, blue cheese is now even found
in fast casual eating outlets, according to the supplier Eurilait.
And soon you may not be eating fish and chips, but squid and chips. As the Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) explains: “In 2025 and beyond, we
may need to replace cod and other old favourites with warm-water species such as
squid, mackerel, sardine and red mullet.” Already squid is being found in more and
more British fishing areas.
The key to a happy life
Your mental health is the biggest single predictor of your personal happiness. So
suffering from depression or anxiety disorders can devastate your life.
Finding love is also a vital ingredient for happiness. “People need to be needed, and
to be in meaningful relationships”, says a recent study by the London School of Economics. It goes on: “Happiness is hugely affected by the ethos of a society, which
affects everyone in it. For example, happiness is higher in societies where people
trust each other. Freedom is also a crucial determinant of happiness.”
The report also found that a boost in income, or more education, did not significantly affect our overall well-being. Having good mental health and someone to love
were far more important.
Caring for others helps YOU
Looking after your grandchildren, or providing emotional support to others, can help
extend your own life by up to five years, according to a recent study.
Grandparents who provide occasional care for their grandchildren live, on average,
five years longer that those who do not. And childless people who provide occasional care for others in their social network live on average three years longer.
The study, at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, concluded
that a ‘moderate level of caregiving involvement does seem to have positive effects
on health.”
What do you think your mum and dad have in common?
Both don't want any more kids. - Lori, age 8
13
Miscellaneous
Breath deep
Now here’s a trick that you probably haven’t tried before: next time you forget
something, try taking some deep breaths.
It seems that inhaling stimulates our brain, creating electrical activity where emotions,
memory and smells are processed. In a recent American study, individuals were able
to identify a face two seconds more quickly if they were breathing in through the
nose, rather than breathing out.
The study was carried out at Northwestern University in Chicago, and may also explain why we breath rapidly when afraid. “If you are in a panic state, you spend proportionally more time inhaling. …. Faster breathing could have a positive impact on
brain function and result in faster response times.”
Beware the wrong cola
February is the month of romance, but sometimes the path of love is not smooth. If
your partner begins buying an alternative to your favourite brand in anything from
soft drinks to toothpaste to shampoo, beware. This could be a wake-up call to you
that your partner is unhappy in the relationship.
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have found that people who feel
undervalued or ignored in a relationship are likely to buy a brand that is the opposite
to what their partner would have wanted. For example, a woman with a poor level
of ‘relationship power’ might feel resentful of all the housework she has been left to
do, but feel unable to speak out, in case it sparks a row with her more dominant
partner. And so she buys him Diet Pepsi instead of his usual Diet Coke. She is
“using brand choice as a form of behaviour to deal with conflict” in her relationship.
Smartphones and other screen devices dangerous for children’s
health
Keep an eye on how long your children spend on their smartphones, tablets, videogames or computers each day. Those who spend more than five hours a day on
gadgets have a 43 per cent increased chance of obesity, according to a recent study
at Harvard.
Such children are also twice as likely to drink too many sugary drinks, get too little
exercise, and suffer from sleep deprivation. The advice is that: “Daytime use should
be reasonable but sparing, and bedtime to breakfast should be off limits.” A recent
study found that British children are among the least active in the world. Just 15 per
cent of girls aged 11-15 achieve the Government guidelines of at least an hour of
moderate intensity physical activity per day. The figure is 22 per cent for boys.)
What would you do on a first date that was turning sour?
I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make
sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns. - Craig, age 9
Miscellaneous
Editor: Tim Lenton looks back on a ‘find’ of world importance.
The finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls – 70 years ago
Just 70 years ago this month, on 7th Feb 1947, the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls were
found in a cave at Khirbat Qumran (now in the West Bank, Palestine) – in an echo of
a biblical story, by a shepherd looking for a lost sheep.
The Dead Sea Scrolls have been called the greatest archaeological find of the 20th
century. After an initial lack of interest – some of the scrolls were advertised in a
small ad in an American newspaper – many more were discovered in nearby caves.
For the first 40 years the study of the thousands of text fragments was monopolised
by fewer than a dozen international scholars, which prevented quick publication of
the texts. But in the early 1990s, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) nominated
Hebrew University Professor Emanuel Tov as chief editor, and the publication was
divided among about 100 international scholars. By 2001 most had been published.
Numerous biblical manuscripts were discovered that were around 1000 years older
than those already existing – and surprisingly, they are almost identical, indicating the
great care taken by copyists down the ages.
One more manuscript that has come to light in recent years refers to the predicted
birth of a wonderful child and provides a fascinating background to the New Testament messianic hope. It has been reconstructed from twelve small fragments, giving
less than two columns of writing.
Most of the scrolls are in Hebrew, but others are in Aramaic, the language spoken by
many Jews – including Jesus – between the sixth century BC and the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. One of the most intriguing manuscripts from Qumran is the Copper
Scroll, a sort of ancient treasure map that lists 64 hidden treasures around Israel.
None of these has been uncovered.
Jane Austen – well worth her weight in coins and bank-notes!
The much-loved novelist Jane Austen is about to make history. 200 years after her
death, she will appear simultaneously on a British coin and a British bank note. That
means that only the Queen, who as head of state must be depicted on British currency, will be more prevalent.
The Royal Mint has chosen Jane Austen as the new image for its commemorative £2
coin. About five million will be released into mass circulation sometime this Spring.
At about the same time, the Bank of England will release its new, plastic, unrippable
£10 note, with Jane Austen replacing Charles Darwen.
Historians cannot recall the last time a figure other than the reigning monarch appeared on both coins and notes at the same time. The release of both coins and
notes will be in step with the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death, in the summer
of 1817, at the age of just 41.
Nothing is so opened more by mistake than the mouth. Anon
15
Miscellaneous
Easy Sudoku
Easy Solution
A little harder
Harder Solution
Jesus did
not come
merely to
make
God’s love
possible,
but to
make
God’s love
visible
Some thoughts on our Chrstian pilgrimage
A friend forgives your defects, and if he is very fond of you, doesn’t see any.
Although modern man zestfully explores outer space, he seems quite content to live
in a spiritual kindergarten and to play in a moral wilderness. Carl F H Henry
Some observations on Love…
Better a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. Proverbs 15:17
A friend forgives your defects, and if he is very fond of you, doesn’t see any.