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St Mary's Church Hitchin |
Contact us:
Church House, Churchyard, Hitchin Hertfordshire SG5 1HP
Tel: 01462 452758 Email: stmaryhitchin@yahoo.co.uk |
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News and Views Archive 2006
Christmas Attendance since 1992 at St Mary’s
This rise in attendance may be purely local or part of a national trend, it is too early to say. It is a sign that at this big festival more people than for a little while, feel St. Mary's is 'their' Church. To get to this point much hard work has been put in by vergers, keeping the Church open, to stewards and wardens being prepared to host the public art festivals and concerts and on ordinary days, by members of this congregation trudging round with Christmas cards and generally enthusing about the place, by flower arrangers and musicians and singers making sure that the services are uplifting. In the end, what matters is that more people came to Church this Christmas to say their prayers. Michael Roden ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A message from Mollie... For almost twenty two years I visited for the chaplains at the Lister Hospital. Mostly it was a single visit to a patient but sometimes I saw a patient week after week and I used to think "Thank God I can go home!" Then the time came when I was the one who couldn't go home and when I did eventually get there I was still a prisoner! But God provided - day after day angels came and brought in the world outside. Many were from St. Mary's but all of them had wings!! They came with news, gossip and fun. They came with books, tapes, videos, things to eat, fish for me and for my cats and there was a critical time when personal items of my underwear went the rounds of the parish washing machines! Later yet more angels came offering transport for business trips, shopping and outings and - most important - transport to church. Now I am out on parole but there always seem to be more mountains to climb! - confidence to tackle even simple tasks and courage to believe I will cope. Thank you all you angels for your love and prayers and thanks to God for providing you. Mollie Jenkins ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hand over of the Chair of Churches Together in Hitchin One of the things I have most valued this year has been the growing relationships between members of the different churches and faiths and a growing sense of sharing, praying together and responding to the needs of the community together. This year has seen much growth in understanding of the ways in which our churches are involved in ministry and mission. At the council meeting in January we shared our approaches to work with children and young people and heard a presentation by Matt Summerfield about the Hitchin Youth Strategy; in May we discussed the Make Poverty History campaign and international, national, local and personal initiatives; in September we shared how churches respond to those new to faith or wanting to explore it further and the merits of the various courses available. During Lent, a record number of people and groups met across the town to explore together the Lent course ‘Voices from the south,’ leading not only to shared insights, but to friendships and growing relationships in these small groups. Other small groups have been a feature of this year. Those attending the sessions of Moving Prayer have been enabled to experience and enjoy the variety of prayer and worship traditions of our churches, and focus on different aspects or needs of our community. The Youth Forum has met regularly, welcomed new members and enthused and planned joint worship together. The Pastoral Visitors support forum met in October and discussed a wide variety of ideas and ‘needs’ and how they might be met by working and co-operating together. A small group has met to review the work of CTH and to revise the constitution. What looked like a dull exercise turned out to be enjoyable and thought provoking sessions exploring the relationships between the churches and how we work together. In September nine of the ministers spent an away-day together at Milton Keynes, enabled by the Revd Dr Mary Cotes, the ecumenical moderator. We heard how the churches in Milton Keynes work together. We each shared our personal joys and frustrations of ministry, and we looked at how we may work together more closely. The Sikh Christian Forum meetings and initiatives by individual churches have enabled growing relationships with other faiths, demonstrated in the prayers together for peace during the Rhythms of the World weekend, following the terrorist attacks in London. A Walk of witness, visiting Christian, Muslim and Sikh places of worship, took place in November. All these have been in addition to the many events, jointly planned and organised this year, including the prayer tree at the Christmas Tree Festival; pulpit exchange, United Service at Christchurch and events for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity; the Christian Aid lunch on Ash Wednesday; the Walk of Witness and Good Friday Service in the Market Place; the General Election meeting with the Parliamentary candidates; the record collection for Christian Aid; the United Service for Pentecost at Our Lady’s; the choirs festival at St Mary’s; and events for One World Week. I would like to thank everyone for their friendship and support during the time I have been Vice Chair and Chair, especially all the members of the Executive, and in particular John Richardson. I have enormously enjoyed it and learnt a great deal. Our most recent event was a visit to the Coptic Orthodox Church at Shephalbury Manor in Stevenage, where we heard an introductory talk, experienced their Liturgy, and enjoyed lunch and a tour of the new cathedral being built in the grounds. We were made very welcome and it was a memorable visit. The cathedral will be completed in time for Christmas and visitors are always welcome. The Orthodox churches emphasize the Trinity, the God of relationships. The Trinity is a pattern for us of community in relationship: dynamic and joyful in diversity and in participation between the persons. I believe this has been a year of growing together in understanding, while recognising and enjoying our differences. As I hand over to Chris Bryant, my successor as chair, I hope that Churches Together in Hitchin continues to grow and flourish. Chris Bryant, the new Chair of Churches Together in Hitchin, is a member of Christchurch and has been Vice Chair for a year. He is married to Judith, who is an advisor at the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, and they have two grown up children. Chris is a Methodist Local Preacher and last year he completed an MA in mission and evangelism. He enjoys walking, holidays in France and used to be involved in the Hitchin Link. Jane Fox Contact: February 2006 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Save the Children volunteer, Les Hodges was rewarded for his exceptional contribution to improving the lives of children around the world. He received an MBE in the Queens New Year honours for his work within the community. The full citation says that Les was awarded the MBE for his services to the local community in Hitchin. Especially for his 23 years service to Save the Children in Hitchin (and also at Area [Beds and Herts], Regional [Eastern] and National levels within Save the Children), 5 years as Chairman to the North Hertfordshire Association of the National Trust, 14 years working behind the scenes for the Hitchin British Schools Trust, 4 years as Membership Secretary and 2 years as Chairman of the North Hertfordshire Decorative and Fine Arts Society, 3 years service to the Hitchin Priory Probus Club, 6½ years compiling and typesetting the Sandon, Wallington, Rushden and Clothall Gazette and practical help at the Benslow Music Trust, besides assisting many individuals around the town with practical help.
During his 23 years involvement with Save the Children Les has been Chair and Treasurer of the Hitchin branch and has devoted an enormous amount of time raising much-needed funds. The branch has been outstandingly successful and Les has run record-breaking house-to-house collections for many years.
Les has also been involved in developing fundraising activity regionally and nationally and received a Save the Children award from Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal in 2000. He continues to give his time to Save the Children and a number of other organisations in Hitchin.
Said Les : “I have enjoyed being involved with Save the Children and have made many good friends through helping to raise money for such a worthwhile cause. I decided when I took early retirement to devote even more of my time to Save the Children as I wanted to make a difference. I would like to thank everyone for the help they have so willingly given me in making that difference, especially my wife Helen who has worked so hard with me for the same cause.”
Ian Mckay, Head of Fundraising, Save the Children, said “Les’ extraordinary achievements have undoubtedly led to huge benefits for the hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children around the world that we work with. On behalf of those children I would like to thank him for his on-going commitment to Save the Children.”
To give time to Save the Children visit www.savethechildren.org.uk/givetime
Save the Children are hoping to run the Lent Lunches again this year on Fridays in Lent starting on the 10th March 2006 from 12 noon to 1 pm. Do come for a simple lunch of soup followed by cheese or ham roll, followed by a piece of fruit, then tea or coffee to finish. All for just £2.50. If anyone would like to help us then please contact Les.
David Duggan and Save The Children Press Release Contact: February 2006 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In February 2006 Hitchin achieved the status of being a fairtrade town having met five goals set out by the Fairtrade Foundation. These are: - the local council to pass a resolution supporting fairtrade and agreeing to serve fairtrade beverages at its meetings and in its offices and canteens - a range of fairtrade products to be available for purchase in at least three local cafes and catering establishments and six retail outlets - fairtrade products are used by a number of local work places such as estate agents, hairdressers etc and community organisations such as churches, schools etc - media coverage and popular support for the campaign to be promoted - a local fair trade steering group be convened to ensure continued commitment to its fairtrade town status So what does this mean? It means that there are people in the Hitchin area who think about where their food, clothes and household goods come from and care about the people who produce them enough to say they want to buy the goods that give the producers a reliable fair wage for their work and good working conditions. What does it mean for me? Get out there and buy fairly traded products. Look for the fairtrade mark on foods. Recommend it to your friends and family. Ask in shops for fairtrade goods. Customer power is stronger than you think. We need more of our shops to stock them and we can become an attraction for people from other towns to shop in Hitchin. Ensure you have fairtrade drinks and snacks at work or in any clubs or societies that you belong to, whether office, shop, clinic, health centre, sports centre, church etc. If you have responsibility for supplying refreshments set the standard by buying fairtrade. www.drinkmaster.co.uk supplies fairtrade drinkpacs for vending machines – it even supplies the vending machines. Out in a restaurant or coffee/teashop? Ask for fairtrade beverages and wines. The more that customers ask the more likely they are to stock them. Fairtrade is an area that’s growing across the country. In 2004 sales reached £140 million. There are over a thousand fairtrade products – not just tea, coffee and foods, but clothes, accessories, footwear, footballs, stationery, bedlinen, crockery and all kinds of household goods. There’s just about an item for every outlet in Hitchin! What about a cheap bargain? We’ve loved cheap everything in this country because we haven’t thought about what that means for the people who grew the food or made the clothes, jewellery etc. The bargain may be good for the purchaser and the company makes sure it profits – but what does the grower or producer get for their work? – very little is the answer. They live in countries where there is no free healthcare and no free schools so it means they cannot afford to have either for their children. Not a bargain for them. Every purchase you make affects the life of someone in another country. For a Christian that means caring about God’s people and thinking before we buy. For Hitchin’s Anglican community being a fairtrade town means we are on the way to the St Albans Diocesan Synod goal of becoming a fairtrade diocese. A Prayer for Justice in Trade by Janet Morley O God of Justice and joy May the goods we bring to the market place Bring life and health and well-being To all who trade there. Teach us to refuse a bargain That leaves others Without the means of life. May our world trade, Not in human lives But so that all may live. Article by Helen Richardson, member of the Hitchin Fair Trade Steering Group and St Mark’s Church. Other Steering Group members: Chair Councillor Martin Stears Tilehouse St Baptist Church, Secretary Trudy Hankin Walsworth Rd Baptist Church, Keith Hoskins Manager of Hitchin Town Centre Initiative, John Richardson Secretary Churches Together in Hitchin, John Addison Treasurer, Belinda Copson Tilehouse St Baptist Church. March 2006 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Message from CTH Christian Development Officer A big thank you to all discussion group hosts, leaders and members for the generous response and contribution to this year’s Ecumenical Lent Discussions. This year’s CTH choice was “Easter People – in a Good Friday World” and it proved a challenging choice, and just as popular all over the country, not just in Hitchin, that the publishers once again sold out of the booklets. We can rejoice in having taken part in an activity shared with many other Christians all over the country! Again seventeen groups met in Hitchin (and again we had a mixture of some existing groups and others new for the occasion), with up to 180 people taking part over the five sessions, and on average 130 people participating weekly. Most of the groups had at least two parishes represented, with some groups having 4 denominations present. I hope it has been a valuable exercise in learning from Jesus’ example, and a chance to befriend and listen to each other. I apologise for not being able to get in enough copies of the booklets, again this year, to satisfy all requests and expectations, the volume of advance ordering will be reviewed for the future. To the groups that will continue meeting, I wish them all the best with or without new members. Also I would encourage any of the new groups that feels so able, to continue meeting and sharing and exploring the faith and its teachings. Once again thank you very much for taking part! Yours in the Christ Jesus Deolinda Eltringham _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ EASTER SUNDAY ATTENDANCE
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