׉?ׁB!בCטu׉׉ 7cassandra://nkesQ977v7AaZAl_Qi1LnRhYT8GN9u43s61SgwNkcY4`׉ 7cassandra://YeqLk6D8O-eEEcXTZikzy2CHFdq4LhIIyr0KYC3HE3owR`R׉ 7cassandra://SmyPP7D3usMS6baAOb_faTdsSe_3icOp29T5pPdTzZI&`̴׉ 7cassandra://Yg7pcQItNezuQuz8Arkf4mfJZ0YEoyI1mVJez5ZXiR8 U͠_ۮmIcfטu׈Ov׈E_ۮmIc@׉E$COWLEY ST JOHN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2020 ׉ 7cassandra://SmyPP7D3usMS6baAOb_faTdsSe_3icOp29T5pPdTzZI&`̴_ۮmIcA_ۮmIc@tבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://mDnbHcRoTsNMOOk9FH4QPQDREjvsEcID0I5OVTykDzA`׉ 7cassandra://6b61sg-zXziCyG_-OMwVqH809P4FewirM_LcFT-PQoo`׉ 7cassandra://W4bvX7NQquE-2rcBkjKYmjnexBhJWxdDBS-ZQ4WRWowNA`i׉ 7cassandra://zizo5yuby-ZY6F0UGUzOq9NbYd3zT05cO4k3CA4etPQ ͠ _ۮmIciנ_ۮmIck9ׁHmailto:lostgelfling@gmail.comׁ ׁ Ј׉EGWELCOME TO OUR SUMMER EDITION FATHER PHIL RITCHIE ?Jesus came and stood among them and said, ?Peace be with you??he showed them his hands and his side?he breathed on them and said to them, ?Receive the Holy Spirit? " John 20.19-22 It might seem a strange thing to say but we are still becoming accustomed to being in relationship with God, we are not done with discerning the fullness of God?s love for us. St Iraeneus writes: ?The Word of God dwelt in man and became the Son of man in order to accustom man to perceive God?. Our relationship with God is not just one ever rising trajectory ? we have highs and lows. For many of us the last few months have been a particularly difficult time in our spiritual lives. A time when prayer and worship has been dislocated from its usual patterns. In some ways this vulnerability has also been a place of blessing. Rowan Williams powerfully describes the Holy Spirit as: ?? the pressure upon us towards Christ?s relationship with the Father, towards the self, secure enough in it rootedness and acceptance in the ?Father?, in the source and ground of ׉ 7cassandra://W4bvX7NQquE-2rcBkjKYmjnexBhJWxdDBS-ZQ4WRWowNA`i_ۮmIcB׉E.to be ?Child?, to live ?vulnerably, as a sign of grace and forgiveness, to decide for the cross of powerlessness?. The sign of the spirit is the essence of Christlikeness ? being God?s child?. Living vulnerably as a sign of grace and forgiveness demands quite a lot of courage. It is certainly true that it is something I can only achieve very occasionally! The Spirit?s indwelling is nothing to do with domination, or human subjugation but it is emphatically about fellowship, the fellowship of God, Father Son and Holy Spirit. Fellowship does not violate but it liberates. And this liberation of fellowship is not individual but communal and ecclesial. The Spirit dwells in the Church. It has been touching returning to worship at St Albans and St Mary and St John in recent weeks. So many people have been touched by the prayerful simplicity of the services. It 's as if, in the process of becoming accustomed to our relationship with God, we saw something of our own vulnerability and need for healing in the lockdown. As we continue to seek the fullness of God?s love for our communities may we be willing both to share our vulnerability and be open to the healing power of God?s Spirit in this place. The parish magazine is designed and edited by Lorna Robinson. Submissions can be sent to her at lostgelfling@gmail.com _ۮmIcC_ۮmIcBvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://Zzjz7nKUt94V4Gvn3xVK3ho3pk8wez9-0nhGIg1g-h49 `׉ 7cassandra://YHUI_fHRKeeLAUe_FEdx97h1xHDbrgPdu_vdf_vNtZ42`׉ 7cassandra://cmT8pWiQF6jMQ3VM_-k3PJ4o8J92Ob4Fst5j89euYwIEL`i׉ 7cassandra://Fij3l8oWyNhdMy1F-W2eUTXd9_Q6SAYPwIbk1VI5ZIcI;͠ _ۮmIcl׉E~LISTENING, CONNECTING AND COMMUNICATING MARGARET COOMBS Dealing with the pandemic virus and the ever-changing lockdown measures is challenging to all of us in our differing ways, as we try to listen and find ways of communicating and connecting with our friends, neighbours and others. Many people have been suffering increased anxiety, loneliness, depression or tensions at home. Those living alone in East Oxford, homeless people and others confined by ?shielding? because of underlying health issues, people with learning and other disabilities have doubtless also felt helplessly isolated from the care they have been used to having. ׉ 7cassandra://cmT8pWiQF6jMQ3VM_-k3PJ4o8J92Ob4Fst5j89euYwIEL`i_ۮmIcD׉E0Many people with mental health issues have also been finding it hard to access the support they need. In his recent book, Jim Green suggests that depression ?is the inarticulate desire for change.? If those who are daily ?wrestling with depression, its mix of agitation and low mood, tunnel vision and despair? find that prayer and meditation are not enough alone to lift their spirits, they would be wise to seek professional guidance or talk with understanding friends, finding solace in humanity. A recent survey by Healthwatch Oxfordshire discovered that people did value their caring, supportive, non-judgmental mental health professionals. Although the surveyors noted the serious lack of resources, they observed that most mental health sector staff provided outstanding care. As access to mental health services is limited by tight eligibility criteria, travel issues and unequal availability across Oxfordshire, the sensitive support of local friends, local community projects and church congregations remains essential. Pressing this point further, a national survey of 2,000 adults undertaken by the Red Cross found that 28% of this group worried that no one would notice if something happened to them. A further 33% of those contacted anxiously feared that their feelings of loneliness would increase in the future. _ۮmIcE_ۮmIcDvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://XnzHe4s_IeminTql3GOnEKR_liRoa6Ws6sEEKuMbiJEn`׉ 7cassandra://5KTaAZFZcGr7czAavLMmlJQOnI1VDNVjq6a5OvbeghU#`׉ 7cassandra://45HjuvfpTPY1IwnGBCEeZPdWGVmAxXdySTFzLVIRezwO`i׉ 7cassandra://vPDQ_wPioH1H95fHIdk4tS6Czbdec4SlIu9t-mHQt5s),͠ _ۮmIcn׉EThe survey also found that young people, members of Black, Asian and other ethnic groups and those with underlying health problems were more likely to feel alone and more likely to catch the virus. Poverty, poor housing, unemployment and living in overcrowded urban areas have endangered the lives and health of many. Martin Lewis, a millionaire money-making expert, perceived critical gaps in provision and set up a fund to enable small charities to relieve the related poverty - or some of it. He remarked, ?Having money is not happiness but not having money destroys lives.? Many people, including those claiming Universal Credit, are desperately short of food and money. In our first parish magazine, it was good to read how our local Porch is providing food, daily meals and support for around 500 people in East Oxford. The Co-op in Divinity Road will receive weekly donations of food, collected early on Thursday mornings by Porch volunteers. The timely Black Lives Matter movement, following the appalling death of George Floyd, has crucially highlighted present-day abuses of people from Black, Asian and other ethnic groups. We have been reminded of the persistence of damaging present-day prejudices, shaped by the building of Empires by those of our ancestors. ׉ 7cassandra://45HjuvfpTPY1IwnGBCEeZPdWGVmAxXdySTFzLVIRezwO`i_ۮmIcF׉EoBlack lives matter. Of continuing concern has been the persistently negative attitudes towards black people caught up in the mental health care system. Being sectioned under the Mental Health Act, is one of the most traumatic experiences that can happen to anyone. The long awaited 2018 independent review of the Mental Health Act offered 150 recommendations, yet to be implemented. A review by National MIND found that black people are three times more likely to be restrained and four times more likely to be sectioned. The emphasis upon control instead of listening to people during an assessment can be very damaging. A short video sent from National MIND, expresses the unheard feelings of a black man who had been sectioned four times. He said,?When they look at me, they don?t see Colin, they don?t see me as an individual with an identity, with a specific history. They see a catalogue of black men who come off this stereotype of being big, black and angry.? Tragically. this appalling institutional prejudice still holds sway in some quarters. At the start of what turned out to be my long career in mental health services, community care rights and research, a fellow student friend and I had the good fortune to be invited to join the London Samaritans. On duty, we learnt the value of unprejudiced listening to the voices of callers on the telephone by day or during the night. _ۮmIcG_ۮmIcFvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://vwHFJRLTeyxb1qCq0Pun_mkb1gl43FmRSG6TL9z6tCQg`׉ 7cassandra://fQ_0RgWQslA4zGYQ3cH7BVNkjJSrsswqgbZbTOz_8nQ%`׉ 7cassandra://5asTEQeox4vennVSqATn2DdigY-DzCqaFh7D-6Ap5zkN1`i׉ 7cassandra://Nq2neFLCQF7uom80Fl2V5ZlBsOXyYWmxORsxMRzawfE͠ _ۮmIcq׉EtNo one was labelled or placed into categories; they spoke for themselves and defined their own problems and needs. Their voices and their feelings were the crux. Listening and talking over problems can save lives. That lesson about the critical importance of hearing people?s voices with respect has stayed with me through all the negative happenings and positive changes I have observed in hospitals and community projects over the years. A key advance was rise of the service user movement, which found expression in Oxford Survivors during the 1990s. Survivors enhanced the attention paid to the lived experience of people with varying mental health needs. When I joined the Oxford Social Services Mental Health Training Department in 1992, I won permission to introduce service user and carer led training and a session on Black people?s experiences. Member of Survivors agreed to train mental health professionals. Invited to join the Oxford Survivors Committee, I imbibed the best guidance I have ever had. Hilary Caldicott, then Director of Oxford Mind, was an indispensable member of the Committee, which took on the challenging task of successfully running an independent user-led day centre for many years. Carers were often ignored or bypassed by professionals on the negative grounds of upholding patient confidentiality, despite their considerable knowledge of the person concerned. ׉ 7cassandra://5asTEQeox4vennVSqATn2DdigY-DzCqaFh7D-6Ap5zkN1`i_ۮmIcH׉E]Carers have also led training sessions for professionals. The growth of local carers? groups, as well as Relate and Rethink, facilitated recognition of the importance of the carers? voices. These developments led to shared meetings of service users and carers with statutory mental health professionals. Here in our community, we need to recognise the painstaking, invaluable, loving care offered by family carers and friends as well as by the fellowship of people with direct experience of mental health issues. In 2002, I was enabled to launch the Health, Wellbeing and Social Care Group, then attached to the Diocesan Board of Social Responsibility. Alison Webster, our Oxford Diocesan Social Responsibility Officer, ensures that the group, which is still active, is well-resourced with relevant information about help and services for people across the diocese. Mental Health has always been a priority. In our own church some years ago we held discussions on mental health, led by people with direct experience. We resolved that our parish should be especially welcoming to people in mental distress and to develop our understanding. During the past few years, a study (2017-18) by the newly formed Oxfordshire Suicide Prevention Multi Agency Group (2014) found that two-thirds of people who die by their own hands had not been in contact with mental health services. _ۮmIcI_ۮmIcHvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://SEsiqacO2v1hkRmpH62_5MELXGPn6tpGPhGZ7To8EY8`׉ 7cassandra://gDCMzCrz26x1SSOt3B2KJrOx1ywyH1Q9-0ArPI8r5a0`׉ 7cassandra://RLEBKTwTsrpt5Vmd11qIegBflz2gwPlVoYIUbzY4RGQE`i׉ 7cassandra://VMR0Er2kWUpkj5tNWT3a7telq6_mjllQu4vSDCUFr8kXx͠ _ۮmIcsנ_ۮmIcu\p9ׁH)mailto:hello@healthwatchoxfordshire.co.ukׁ ׁ Ј׉EGContributing factors were relationship, longstanding poor physical health, financial problems, bereavement and alcohol (which can cause depression). Self-harm was the most risky factor for young people (15-18). This new partnership has recognised the need for longer term support rather than short- term interventions. People then gain more time to explore precisely what help they need and for their voices to be effectively heard. As helpful groups rise, change or disappear, we all need to find ways of listening to, talking and communicating with people through and beyond lockdown from within our church congregation and in or around our local community. This is essential in the face of so much hidden suffering. Although Oxford Survivors are no longer active as a formal group, Alice Hicks has powered another wonderful initiative, linked to our parish, through her friendly monthly tea parties, where all who come are welcomed and invited to enjoy good conversation, poetry, activities and cake! We look forward to meeting, listening and connecting again when lockdown is finally eased. ׉ 7cassandra://RLEBKTwTsrpt5Vmd11qIegBflz2gwPlVoYIUbzY4RGQE`i_ۮmIcJ׉EAvailable Services Older People: Oxfordshire Age UK Support Service ; Older People 01865 411 288. Leave your name and number for someone to get back to you. Carer Befriending Line 01865 9012 Mental Health Enquiries in Oxfordshire for all ages. Instead of ringing 111: For Adults: tel. 0800 783 0119 (free phone) or 01865 904997. For Children & Young people Tel. 0800 783 0121 (freephone); or 01865 904998 Health Watch hello@healthwatchoxfordshire.co.uk for information Oxfordshire MIND: Information Line: 01865 247788for MIND?s services SAFE HAVEN 01865 903837 (6-10pm Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun) Out of hours GP service 111 Samaritans 24 hrs tel. 116 123 CALM helpline 5-12pm 0800 585858 _ۮmIcK_ۮmIcJvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://wPzaHhQLCJo2-XkbWzJ3dTYuVb3OjhvfgS2MfRcQJLoZ`׉ 7cassandra://GZDXlQGfk68iE9a4qfMFFOZaGQeMji5n6gA7eOKsct4,(`׉ 7cassandra://AUEqhSJJvVbbB0AK9uedjsDvnVmmpmvJl0Z-przdc7IW`i׉ 7cassandra://OChyEdDN5C02mtjRl-qzQwfT8iIOFxHGq0oqUmCs0M8 ͠ _ۮmIcv׉ETHE JOYS OF GROWING THOMAS-FRANCIS WATSON I?ve just got back from thinning gooseberries in the rain? Even when one returns home looking like a drowned rat, there?s something deeply refreshing and satisfying about working in the outdoors? especially when one comes home with a basket of fruit to show for it. Not that I get to keep these gooseberries! They belong to The Porch(which Sr Frances wrote about last issue), and are among the first fruits to be harvested from their allotments this year. ׉ 7cassandra://AUEqhSJJvVbbB0AK9uedjsDvnVmmpmvJl0Z-przdc7IW`i_ۮmIcL׉EI?ve been working for The Porch for a month now; after I volunteered there for two months during lockdown, they have put me in charge of the acre or so of land they have down at Elder Stubbs. The allotment project encourages members to come and grow fruit and vegetables, most of which will be used in our own kitchen. The hope is twofold: that members will develop practical, vocational skills, and also that they will benefit from the sense of joy and fulfilment that comes with eating what one has oneself grown. We shall have members on the allotment by the end of the month. In the meantime, there?s plenty to do to get ready for their return: only this week I have cleared out one of the polytunnels, covered a windrow for composting, and planted out some of the squashes we have kindly been donated. If you have a spare moment, and long for the open air, I?d be very glad of some volunteers? the harvest may be plentiful, but the labourers are always too few? _ۮmIcM_ۮmIcLvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://T_WjJZ55gPkw1Tra77Gkl1kftZcwk-tsPoZt-m0S-5Af`׉ 7cassandra://77DYv3IbOTHYawo77xUqKkoG_e-U2e984F-A6wQh5k4`׉ 7cassandra://NBhGV4slJk8iCkPqZvqEYhduHy6TTxKgLJW_fF2Pl-oRv`i׉ 7cassandra://XCqeWwLanM45Hq4C6R4zY6TmD06v15gUuUx1jmgS9G0>C͠ _ۮmIcx׉EMAD HATTER'S TEA PARTIES ALICE HICKS It has been nearly four years since we held the first of our monthly Mad Hatter tea parties at the Benson Hall on a Tuesday afternoon. Our tea parties are just friendly gatherings that welcome all sorts of people but especially those who may be living with or have had mental health issues. These gatherings are not meant to be a mental health service or therapy as such but are relaxed and enjoyable, offering people with all sorts of life experiences the chance to get together, make new friends, have fun and discuss a wide range of subjects. As we all know, society can still stigmatize and discriminate against people with "mental illness" and can leave people feeling left "outside" and isolated. ׉ 7cassandra://NBhGV4slJk8iCkPqZvqEYhduHy6TTxKgLJW_fF2Pl-oRv`i_ۮmIcN׉EA guest said "When I am unwell I am very much alone. This is a place where people can get together and meet people". One of the reasons why the tea parties are proving so enjoyable and popular, with usually about 35 to 40 guests (sometimes as many as 60!) regularly coming, is that people who are living with mental health issues can experience a normal human activity: enjoying a lovely afternoon tea and being appreciated and valued by other people. Guests at the parties often sing or read their favourite poetry, with Nick playing on his piano. There is always such a lively and diverse mix of guests from all walks of life, so that people who may be depressed or isolated, can just enjoy being and feeling part of society- which of course they are! ?Nice, hospitable. I like the ?Alice? theme ?We?re all mad here?. I think we all have moments of madness as we are all pressurized now and there is a drive to stamp out difference,? said a regular guest. _ۮmIcO_ۮmIcNvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://R-iUp18h9kb7WeT25gb3JN93xJChXtw5R6ZKlRqoh6I`׉ 7cassandra://UdoNKIXvv8EEPttK7JfzcQrMCf0ahojo8dNWYvpldHw`׉ 7cassandra://LkxoqvbI0RJQGKUB2Kssb5yS4CHY8pZe6gnBEUyg96cA`i׉ 7cassandra://rFhCoSeuEFfnSYuqgVlx3b1wpc_0vWvdc8i4AcRSDro#͠ _ۮmIc{נ_ۮmIc~9ׁHhttp://Oxfordshiremind.us6.liׁ ׁ Ј׉EZFUTURE PLANS In the past years we have put on several ?All day Tea parties? with activities like singing, art and drama and which have proved to be very popular. Earlier this year we have linked up with a mindful, activity café in London called the Dragon café. We are going to be (C19 permitting) working with them as part of their two year research programme. We have been awarded £7500 to spend on furthering our ideas to expand our Tea parties to have more activities and longer sessions. The Dragon staff will be supporting us in Oxford with this. It?s all very exciting! I would like to offer my heart-felt thanks to father Phil and all those volunteers and members of our congregation who have so generously given their time and money to make our tea parties so successful. As Kevin Goodman, who was a regular long- standing guest said: ?The parties are fantastic! Get me out of the house. I meet all sorts of people. There?s no pressure. It?s just enjoyable. Thanks to all the people who run it!?. Tea party Haiku By Alice The Mad tea parties When they happen weave through guests Thread lives tapestry ׉ 7cassandra://LkxoqvbI0RJQGKUB2Kssb5yS4CHY8pZe6gnBEUyg96cA`i_ۮmIcP׉EA free service for those who want to talk to a qualified therapist about their fears of anxiety, loneliness, and isolation. Specialism in people affected emotionally around the health and financial implications of Corona virus amongst other things. 20 minute chats are done through phone or video link are available and can be booked using their website. Oxfordshiremind.us6.list-manage/com _ۮmIcQ_ۮmIcPvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://tVVaY1Uqbr6gFV9Cihsgl3m6mP20Jtaqmyr5ESGKUDAP`׉ 7cassandra://D_u2hzMspMWIDYo9OVDTpNZGSyezuePckrzdDbRzgdg4 `׉ 7cassandra://k1uV0X3KaaFuHCugqWG-UmoekHpHGRghMIl6zya3pjIXq`i׉ 7cassandra://Aub056Rjg-LpWZ405t0Hv2k8rIGK9vJ8spSpVw37tgk ͠ _ۮmIc׉ESAFEGUARDING CREATION JANET MCCRAE We were still in Lent at the start of the Covid 19 lock-down, and the churchyard was at its springtime best. This year by Easter, when the church was closed, it was perhaps better than ever, with primroses carpeting the low-cut grass in many areas. Some of us found respite here, for walks in the churchyard?s restful beauty with only bird song to be heard instead of Cowley Road traffic, reminding us how good the natural world is for our mental wellbeing. ׉ 7cassandra://k1uV0X3KaaFuHCugqWG-UmoekHpHGRghMIl6zya3pjIXq`i_ۮmIcR׉ENow that the grass has grown longer and the flowers spread more widely it?s easy to miss the flourishing of new springtime growth,. I wonder how many people spotted the orchid in the verge by the vestry, or theSolomon?s seal with its small white bells hanging from an arching stem, in The Garden of Remembrance and Thanksgiving near the Leopold Street entrance? (Its name, apparently, comes from the scars on the stem where leaves have dropped, looking, according to medieval Jewish tradition, like the sixth seal on Solomon?s ring, some of them in a pentagonal star of David shape). Now, at the end of June, the tall blue spikes of flowers on the hairyViper?s Bugloss seen near the Benson memorial provide pollen and nectar for bees, hoverflies and butterflies. That area has now become a wildlife meadow, with all sorts of hidden treasures providing food for butterfly caterpillars, thanks to the regular strimming that keeps down the most vigorous grasses. For more than two months of lock-down the team who usually maintain the churchyard couldn?t work, but now restrictions have eased and we?ve been able to resume work in small teams on different days. Some fine photos of the churchyard were taken by Anna Eden and added to a video of local gardens on Divinity Road?s Virtual Open Gardens Day, on 14 June, enabling us to share our beautiful wild churchyard with people who weren?t able to visit in person. _ۮmIcS_ۮmIcRvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://Hei2HDUpuPP7pgixP2VVH9l9lw4L-4IqYwvfVkmqkAg+`׉ 7cassandra://YADNBRn7Or97Bnz70VNjC6CG7gt2WzjLiRjiCOXaypM`׉ 7cassandra://qypdIwY4hxg_2knKC6mdxUjvK2G_0WhTaf4mzlJvOFEMI`i׉ 7cassandra://gdzCrVkBqa63PHKtNq2bF7SwmVWWWLj_qqZeXzn8PfQ :͠ _ۮmIcقנ_ۮmIcفN^9׉Hhttps://oxfordmutualaid.org/Gׁ ׁ rנ_ۮmIcلe9ׁHhttps://oxfordmutualaid.org/orׁ ׁ Ј׉E-OXFORD MUTUAL AID AT SMJ MARIANNE TAMBINI Thanks to the generosity of Phil Ritchie, Oxford Mutual Aid have been operating out of St Alban?s church hall since March, and we are now moving our expanding efforts into the Richard Benson Hall at St Mary and St John?s. We are so grateful for this support. ׉ 7cassandra://qypdIwY4hxg_2knKC6mdxUjvK2G_0WhTaf4mzlJvOFEMI`i_ۮmIcT׉EGWhat is Oxford Mutual Aid? We are a mutual aid group, and our organising principle is solidarity rather than charity. We all need help from time to time, and mutual aid is a way for us to help one another: many volunteers also receive support. We are a community group, not a government agency or charity, and we always treat those we help as equals. Many of us are experienced activists, volunteers and support workers with all sorts of expertise, and we work with organisations, charities and support groups across Oxfordshire, as well as supporting NHS staff. Our work includes deliveries of food parcels and essential items, as well as creating networks of neighbours to help each other with shopping, prescription collections, and other errands. We make and distribute masks to frontline workers, and run a Kitchen Collective, which provides 700 cooked meals per week to those in need. What next? Demand is growing as the effects of the pandemic, lockdown, and economic downturn get worse, so we are always looking to increase our capacity. We are working on building more partnerships and further developing a supportive network. If you or someone you know needs support, we would encourage you to sign up on our websitehttps://oxfordmutualaid.org/or call 07310 160 595. You can also use the website to register to volunteer with us, or donate. _ۮmIcU_ۮmIcTvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://11PHLlcGIwMfBm0Ki0v9IdMgofDEVNLABj4Lv7Es_TEq`׉ 7cassandra://Gcsk9g7bXAQUqt974svnDk6XtGleEnAg31LxsFYdGrM`׉ 7cassandra://gRS-MQNW5rAMDtuJYrXis6qWfqQQPo63pphG3D_e8c0K8`i׉ 7cassandra://z8Q0YhR9uUTyx1JCgjcZCyu1_K6ZaIwhsCtS5ACqf8U͠ _ۮmIcم׉ELOVE, DEATH AND ETERNITY VIRGINIA BAINBRIDGE Companion, all Saints' Sisters of the Poor On Death and Dying is the title of the book by Dr Elizabeth Kubler-Ross M.D., which helped to start the hospice movement in America. The book drew on her experience as a young Swiss medical student at the end of World War Two. She questioned the medical assumption that lives must be prolonged at all cost ? because Science has not proved there is life after death. A clergyman at a church I attended was speaking about his ministry to patients in the local hospice. He was surprised to find it was the Christians who were most afraid of dying. All the great faiths teach that death is not the end, but this belief is strongly rejected by education, the media and most of the population. ׉ 7cassandra://gRS-MQNW5rAMDtuJYrXis6qWfqQQPo63pphG3D_e8c0K8`i_ۮmIcV׉EQChristians and followers of other faiths share the doubts of our rational society. Churches don?t really discuss death and the afterlife ? perhaps they are embarrassed by such old-fashioned notions? As a reaction New Age books have brought ?near-death experiences? to public attention. These are common in all cultures and tell the same story. On leaving the body the person travels up a long tunnel of light. To welcome them is the Love which created the universe in the human form shaped by their religion on earth ? Jesus, the Virgin Mary or a divine figure of another faith. In meditation we too catch glimpses of eternity. We connect with the Divine life-force embodying love, joy, peace and Marian Dunlop?s other Words of Life. St. Paul says that the world?s wisdom is foolishness compared with God?s (1 Corinthians 1:17-28). On the spiritual path everything is upside-down from how society sees it. Even our bodily decline and the winding way into dementia prepare us to let go as we approach eternity. Dr. Kubler Ross called another book: Death: the final stage of growth. It is the mystery our society is most afraid of. St. Paul describes our glimpses of eternity: ?For now we see through a glass darkly: but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know even as also I am known.? (1 Corinthians 13:12). So what is the meaning of life? _ۮmIcW_ۮmIcVvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://Dwf1zspG-ztpyLcRflD3ffRkDyRRCAU0UM1dDhxeuRI `׉ 7cassandra://9zBfWSqZdunVxAqy2P6sRSW5bVSnv7D8H7hSTOqy76UW`׉ 7cassandra://Pm-7f6ZasKBZO9FfYWsWRPw5MjN_nf8WM-7CIn5wptAJ{`i׉ 7cassandra://bHVw4nRnKR9An83aaFP_8DKNDaqPqdLwxyRZ2vMjPbM(Qt4͠ _ۮmIcو׉EmJulian of Norwich tells us in the Revelations from her own near-death experience in 1373: ?So I was taught that love is our Lord?s meaning. And I saw very certainly in this and in everything that before God made us he loved us, which love was never abated and never will be. And in this love he has done all his works, and in this love he has made all things profitable to us, and in this love our life is everlasting. In our creation we had beginning, but the love in which he created us was in him from without beginning. In this love we have our beginning, and all this shall we see in God without end.? (Chapter 86). ׉ 7cassandra://Pm-7f6ZasKBZO9FfYWsWRPw5MjN_nf8WM-7CIn5wptAJ{`i_ۮmIcX׉ELOCKDOWN ART DAVID JONES _ۮmIcY_ۮmIcXvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://0SLC-ypltGzfnN-eVmah3FsPQrq1QbHCZQAVUGtBT9EF^`׉ 7cassandra://P2o6Lb5mUZTT4lrYbL5im-pER4KbvNcQzzw0FzCNIVo`׉ 7cassandra://o-069xwVolgTB7qY5_hhj88p_CPd4VwQ7zOIB_EuPn8I`i׉ 7cassandra://TJLV5BsOko_MuiE87rErviPjgxEa_rPu3ouhsrZ3z48)2͠ _ ۮmIcً׉EDAMAGED BY GOD DANIEL EMLYN-JONES I recently helped a friend, Allan T. Clare, publish his old Masters Thesis in Theology from his stint at the University of Wales, as a self-published book on Amazon. It is entitled ?Damaged by God: A Critical Analysis of Covering Theology with particular reference to John Bevere?s Under Cover.? Fr. Phil very kindly wrote a very nice foreword for it. For those who don?t know, ?Covering Theology? is the rather nutty idea espoused by John Bevere and others, that the authority of the church pastor is derived directly from God, and he should be blindly obeyed (a pastor would never be a she in these circles). ׉ 7cassandra://o-069xwVolgTB7qY5_hhj88p_CPd4VwQ7zOIB_EuPn8I`i_ۮmIcZ׉EIf our parish were such an authoritarian church, it would mean that if Fr. Phil told us all to circumnavigate the church on our knees flagellating ourselves and picking up special brew cans, we would have to do it, or risk demonic attack (I think I?d prefer demonic attack). My reaction to Covering Theology, as a free thinking and critical person is: what a load of twaddle! Sadly though, many people exist in authoritarian church communities where they are brainwashed into believing it, and are in terror of the demonic spirits which would devour them if they came out from under their ?Cover?. They can indeed suffer decades of spiritual abuse and end up incredibly damaged. John Bevere nevertheless has armies of adoring disciples via his church ?Messenger International? and claims to derive his ideas from interpretations of scripture, along with personal messages from the Holy Spirit. It therefore seems sensible that the antidote to such poison should be a scholarly, sensible interpretation of Holy Scripture. People stuck in the dark hole of such cultish teachings, need to hear some proper Hermeneutics. Allan?s book does just that. He takes every one of John Bevere?s points in his book ?Under Cover? and exposes it for the baloney it is. For example, Jesus famously said in Matthew 20:28:?? the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many,? a piece of scripture which seems to have completely passed Bevere by. Allan's wonderful book is available from Amazon as a paperback and kindle. Do get your copy! _ۮmIc[_ۮmIcZvבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://UWabbp0ge3YJts2OS5QBNZpRurtKzISEjT-myF6lZ-Y<`׉ 7cassandra://Mk-i0kBe1F9DL4uIBYgx41kbXIGTDwaEXTOVZA7Xlmw`׉ 7cassandra://d8epywkR7dv09qQM3swf2OxiHuoZ-dau10iPOlK4tH8S`i׉ 7cassandra://JQJf-7pga1a9r9eaz-6mdDShoyR59x2ggkNI80ImR6Et͠ _ ۮmIcُנ_ ۮmIcٍ19׉Hhttp://www.buildbackbetterGׁ ׁ rנ_ ۮmIcْ`J9ׁHhttps://changed4climate.uk/foodׁ ׁ Јנ_ ۮmIcّ99ׁH http://www.buildbackbetteruk.orgׁ ׁ Ј׉EDCLIMATE CHANGE WORKSHOPS JANET MCCRAE Events planned this year in the churchyard are on hold ? seasonal meditations, planting days, music, drama, history walks, teas ? until people can gather safely; but thanks to Gaby?s ingenuity workshops on climate change have continued on Zoom, most recently a workshop led by Chris Church, Greenpeace, on Climate Change: How Do We Really Make a Difference? Chris? emphasized that a lot has already been achieved but more needs to be done to care for the natural environment on which we all depend. In the current context of Covid19 the effectiveness of reducing emissions can be seen immediately ? less noise, cleaner air and, we are told, fish swarming back into cleaner Venice lagoons. The Greenpeace manifesto summarises what a government green bail-out for the current crisis might look like. ׉ 7cassandra://d8epywkR7dv09qQM3swf2OxiHuoZ-dau10iPOlK4tH8S`i_ۮmIc\׉EWhat can we, as individuals and as a church group, do? Chris focused on: Policies, Protests and Projects. How to get policies changed? Lobby MPs, MEPs, councillors; join others in protests,e.g. XR; and take action through practical projects? individually, in our communities and with local organisations including churches and, collectively, as organised environmental groups. The workshop part icipants were asked for their priorit ies for change 1. Shift our thinking radically from consumerism and growth to a new economic model; 2. Change the values of our society (see the Build Back Better campaign for post-pandemic recovery organized by Green New Deal UK: www.buildbackbetteruk.org 3. Demand change from government toward a fairer, more just society, ending extremes of rich and poor, and ensuring all workers earn a living wage (see Kate Raworth?s book on ?Doughnut Economics?.) Pract ical ideas for act ion Eat locally? eat less meat; use farmers? markets; grow your own; get an allotment; share produce; avoid food waste; reduce dependence on supermarkets; resist plastic packaging; see https://changed4climate.uk/food Plant trees? e.g. in gardens (small fruit trees even grow in pots); join community planting efforts. _ۮmIc]_ۮmIc\vבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://0l1d4yMKN6OyCvEg3yVQ1_SOthlqH3u8h02rNflklbw`׉ 7cassandra://0wH7YdiaX6IXT-0274qf92GOZrd8XwLVwUt37G_R5s4`׉ 7cassandra://XbyQ1RXUPhmvb2qF1c2VJYt0JSgzZFLtvdcQ9IFGuDMO,`i׉ 7cassandra://Zy2-C-t-gVteW8uL4ZOAdvJrjUdqYLWY8nemg1Gue8w=`,͠ _ۮmIcٓ׉EChange transport habits? for short journeys cycle, walk, or public transport; share car use (once it?s safe); use local rail options (Oxford?s north-south links are now in development); see Oxford Friends of the Earth website. Support local and national environmental organizations working to restore biodiversity and help nature recover. Joining a group focuses action, enables us to speak with one voice, and provides membership numbers necessary for effective lobbying as well as financial support. For information contact local groups such as BBOWT, or national organizations e.g. Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, or the Green party. ׉ 7cassandra://XbyQ1RXUPhmvb2qF1c2VJYt0JSgzZFLtvdcQ9IFGuDMO,`i_ۮmIc^׉ErWhat can hinder us from get t ing on with it? Too many unclear options, making for indecision; competing issues; lack of leadership, or legislation, or incentives. But information is available, and here in Oxford there are plenty of opportunities for action and discussion. So just do it ! Numbers matter! Chris urged us to set an example by taking some project forward ? ?if not us ? who?? When enough people take action it catches on ? over 50% of UK electricity is already from renewable sources. Some of the websites above can help us take action, but we need to talk with people locally, sharing the good news that huge progress is being made. Change is happening, but accelerating the process is essential to swell the numbers of people pressing for change. We must drown out the negative voices saying it?s up to government, and it doesn?t matter what individuals do. Quite wrong ? it is up to each of us. Note: The workshop series starts again on 6 October with local writers/lecturers Margaret and Martin Hodson on ?Climate emergency and spiritual wisdom, explored through biblical and other faith sources?. Put it in the diary! _ۮmIc__ۮmIc^vבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://OrJPtzt8LU3dRLNb42iyj3O6Nf8tZIYpUmlloT2rK5A)`׉ 7cassandra://EgsiMISYhY0btv18E1OdLFIpkL4NV7loUf86dwIeI6E`׉ 7cassandra://r6GxIN_-YaJOQ20RDKHQ80AYHjmfCxuKCI_a4hUE3KUO`i׉ 7cassandra://q89nahp1z6qk-n_IQBKQmlb6enby_b4_M1zpfdC3jQQR͠ _ۮmIcٕ׉E%RETREATING AT HOME CLAIRE BROWES Before ordination services all those who are due to be ordained gather together, away from the busyness of life, away from new houses full of boxes waiting to be unpacked, away from distractions, to spend a week in retreat. These retreats are usually in the countryside, surrounded by peace and fields. This year however ? as with almost everything else planned in the last six months ? things have been very different. The ordinations have not happened at all, instead we are starting our curacies as lay church workers. As for the retreat, it did go ahead but on Zoom. This filled me with trepidation, I must admit to struggling with online worship. I enjoy feeling connected with other people through Zoom but I struggle to feel connected with the spiritual virtually. ׉ 7cassandra://r6GxIN_-YaJOQ20RDKHQ80AYHjmfCxuKCI_a4hUE3KUO`i_ۮmIc`׉ESo, the idea of a Zoom retreat for several days was rather unappealing. We prayed the daily office, listened to reflections by the Bishop and discussed them in break-out groups. In between the Zoom sessions, we had space for creative activities and silent reflection. Retreat is usually defined by the removal of an individual from their day-to-day environment, away from the busyness and distraction. But a retreat on Zoom is also a retreat at home. While in the past our homes might have been places of retreat from work, in the last six months our homes have become the stage for all aspects of our lives and retreat on Zoom is no escape from that at all. There is no dramatic ?and yet? to my experience. My Zoom retreat did not feel the same as silence in the countryside. But there were moments of new insights and learning. There were times that felt like deep re-connection to God, the reassertion of the truth that God is not just in the silence, the countryside, or the retreat centre, but in all. It is in God, wherever we are, that we live and move and have our being. We also had to be disciplined, to choose not to look at the email or go to the shops (I did not always succeed at not being distracted). We had to accept that we were at home, and not elsewhere, we could not completely ignore our family members for three days. Instead, it was about creating small spaces for encounter, small spaces set aside to be with God. _ۮmIca_ۮmIc`vבCטvu׉׉ 7cassandra://XhhdrkqSWL4yacpdqf3eWUfGPcf2XL7eIMeG1mT_Jvov`׉ 7cassandra://Iu_MMRz_Lp9FkNKHI5fBlga72Lu8YBK5gK8eiYns2OUݿ`׉ 7cassandra://87L6S8-U-ovVaFBm69qHuI99PbYTRSk_iUVHlmIqEtgGv`i׉ 7cassandra://2wMfqIj1jgNhR_KgmlvPPoCjySmAyVQmH2kpMvxQUCE f ͠_ۮmIcٗ׉EHaving wondered how on earth this Zoom retreat would prepare me for starting my curacy, I found that it taught me something important about how I might be able to find space to re-connect daily with God in the busyness, at home and in the parish. This is a challenge for all of us at this time, during a time when we cannot easily leave our homes, escape our work, when we cannot travel or go on holiday easily, when we cannot necessarily come to church in person. How do we find space to sit with God, in the busyness and find space for brief retreat? The answers will be very personal to each of us, but you might like to try some more formal set aside time for brief retreat. There are lots of different options and opportunities: daily prayer has re-started at SSMJ at 8am and 5.15pm, or you might like to try a daily prayer app such as ?Pray as you Go? and placement students from Cranmer and Cuddesdon are planning a Zoom quiet day in the early autumn. Have a go, see what might work for you. ׉ 7cassandra://87L6S8-U-ovVaFBm69qHuI99PbYTRSk_iUVHlmIqEtgGv`i_ۮmIcb׉ELOCKDOWN ART DAVID JONES _ۮmIcc_ۮmIcbvבCטu׉׉ 7cassandra://28WRZuvemhl5kMBVRP59jIsIsv52dfyRUcxITS1eabA`׉ 7cassandra://0wuPTqKrET8sGbju68j2IYRBF8TaxopzA35yf_oAetIQr`R׉ 7cassandra://vrUdlTQyGmyt5gdoXNpEhhx0i3vhG6CH7I8L7xZIc-A`̴׉ 7cassandra://tA3hK604WDGuXUE4M1LIsQPMgjpunVE_LDeMZDcIE2I͠_ۮmIcٙ׉E׉ 7cassandra://vrUdlTQyGmyt5gdoXNpEhhx0i3vhG6CH7I8L7xZIc-A`̴_ۮmIcd׈E_ۮmIce_ۮmIcdt,&COWLEY ST JOHN MAGAZINE SUMMER EDITION_ϑOv(U