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The 4 th of July.

 Aha, you say – American Independence Day – fireworks and flag-waving. And of course, you are right. But closer to home, although a little further back in time (1623 rather than 1776), 04/07/2023 marks the 400 th anniversary of the death of the great English composer William Byrd. If you have switched on Radio 3 this week, you will not have been able to miss the occasion. I love early music, and particularly early sacred music, so I have been in my element. But the programmes marking his contribution to the world of music have also explored the impact of his contradictory life and turbulent historical setting on the music he created. He was born a protestant, sometime around 1540, during the reign of the young King Edward (also a protestant), learning to sing and studying music, probably in his home cathedral of Lincoln, possibly at the prestigious Chapel Royal in Windsor. He survived the Catholic reign of Mary Tudor, with its purges of protestants and Protestantism – then in an apparent spirit of contrariness became a Catholic at some point during the reign of her protestant half-sister Elizabeth. That was a risky move – with Catholicism now branded as treason and sedition, carrying penalties starting at a fine of a shilling a
go for every missed Sunday (Church of England) service and moving up the scale through
imprisonment to death by hanging, drawing and quartering for men or burning at the stake for women. It was Byrd’s music, and the queen’s appreciation of it, which saved him; although he was often fined, he was regularly pardoned and protected by Her Majesty from more severe punishment. He wrote liturgical music both for large, public Cathedral services, in English with full choirs and organ accompaniment, which he could publish with impunity – and very small-scale Latin Masses, for secret celebration in private houses. These are often for only 4 voices, and very short – the fewer the people involved and the quicker a service was finished, the better the chance of evading spies, discovery and being hauled off to the Tower. The two are appropriately different in style – the Latin being more ornate, and the English with the required plainness and emphasis on linguistic comprehensibility rather than polyphonic complexity. Listening during this week to the entwined music and history, the inseparable religion and politics, I have been struck by the fact that only 400 years ago, in this country, the Christian Church felt it was not only appropriate, but righteous, to murder people who chose to worship the same God in a different way. We look with horror at the persecutions we see in other parts of the world today, sometimes (not always) among people of faiths which are different from ours, but . . . So – we can listen to the music; we can ruminate on the history; we can watch the News; we can – and must – work and pray for peace.

We arrived just outside Cheddar with our caravan at the start of our holiday, oblivious to the fact
that not far away in Glastonbury campers were gathering for a weekend of music. After an easy journey down, we discovered a completely empty campsite, and it remained empty for the week. It
was utter bliss!
We have a self-contained unit with its own shower and loo so only require basic requirements of
electricity, water, and waste disposal. An empty site, in glorious weather, surrounded by amazing
scenery, and without two Labradors taking up much of the confined space! What a treat.
It was rather bizarre sitting in the caravan watching the music festival on TV in the middle of a field.
I am now too old now to think being in the centre of that enormous and emotionally heightened crowd would bring me any joy, let alone sleeping in a tent or using festival facilities!
In the book of Psalms, we find a beautiful passage that speaks to the power and significance of
music.
Psalm 150:3-5 says:
"Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!"
The word music is mentioned 8 times in the Bible but there are many references to singing,
instruments, and worship Music has the power to uplift our spirits, bring comfort to our souls, and
draw us closer to the divine.
There were several very poignant moments in the music festival but the two most memorable for me, were watching Lewis Capaldi struggling with his Tourette’s and losing his voice in front of a vast
Pyramid Stage. Then watching the crowd reacting with support, singing his songs for him, and being
understanding when he cut short his set. And Elton John’s set which demonstrated his incredible and
perceptive gift of music.
We can discover so much solace, joy, and connection through the beauty and power of music.
Seeing so many people crammed together, singing in unity, in peace and so happy I was a witness to that! Even from our self-contained unit we felt that power.
Thank you God for the gift of music.

A message from Annette. 

For those who heard my sermon last week the film that I was talking about was 'Freedom Writers' based on a 1999 book 'The Freedom Writers Diary' by Erin Gruwell and students who compiled the book out of real entries about their lives that they wrote in their English class at Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach California. 

The book that I was talking about was, 'Darkest England and The Way Back' by Gary Bishop.
They are both challenging and very inspirational.

The Spread of Christianity

Last week at a gathering I was privileged to meet a young radiologist working in the Health
Service living in Newbury from Kerala, South India. She was a Christian in that largely Hindu
and Muslim country but she reminded me that the church in South India had early
beginnings and was started by the Apostle Thomas (him who said “I will not believe. …unless
I put my finger into the marks of the nails and my hand into his side” John 20: 25). Meeting
her was a reminder to me of how quickly Christianity spread after the resurrection.
This time of year, after Pentecost and Trinity Sunday, the Sunday readings are concerned
with the spread of Christianity. Indeed, the Acts of the Apostles record some of the
preaching of the Apostles as told by Luke in the second volume of his work in the New
Testament. At the beginning of Acts, Jesus tells his disciples that when the Holy Spirit comes
upon them, they will be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the end of the
world (Acts 1: 8). This is what happened: firstly, in Jerusalem and then, when the disciples
were persecuted, further afield in Judea, Samaria, Antioch (Acts 11: 19ff) and lastly in the
missionary journeys of Paul into Europe, eventually reaching Rome. Sometimes, as in Rome,
churches began not primarily through Apostolic missions (ie led by one of the Apostles) but
through ordinary Christians travelling on business, to relatives or just re-locating.
The Church also spread east to Syria, south into Africa via Ethiopia (Acts 8:26ff) and Egypt,
and north into the Roman Empire, eventually reaching Britain by the late third century. I
read recently that Christianity reached the court of the Emperor of China about the same
time as the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Northumberland, ruled by King Edwin, accepted
Christianity from Paulinus in 627AD.
However much Christianity spread historically throughout the world, Christianity does not
exist territorially but must live in the hearts and lives of men, women and children in every
generation. Indeed, as someone has said, the church is only ever about two generations
away from extinction. In other words, our faith must be handed on. The challenge for us
today is to take the same message of God’s grace and forgiveness to all, so that they may
know in truth the grace of God. May God grant us success in doing this in our own
communities!

When I was born mum and dad had a beloved boxer called Susan. I was only a toddler when she had a litter of puppies, mum told me later I would crawl into the bed and snuggle up alongside her puppies. I am still drawn to the friendly faces of Boxers. We always had a dog at home from a Corgi called Jane to cross breeds like Nikki and Rusty. 

It was not long after we were married that I persuaded Dave that we really needed a puppy. A rough collie called Gemma joined us. She was our baby. Totally spoilt but incredibly well trained; we could leave her sitting in the front garden watching the world pass by and we could trust her not to wander. She was frightened of cats and would try to leap into our arms if one came towards her. Her loyalty was incredible and she was amazingly gentle with our young family. I watched once as my son, experimenting as a baby, hit her nose with his wooden hammer. It must have hurt but she just shook her head, got up from where she was lying beside him, and moved away. 

We have had a number of dogs since then. Each with different personalities and loveable behavioural quirks that have brought us so much joy. They have given us so much love and made our home complete. 

We now have two exuberant Labradors, Daisy who is brown, rather laid back, extremely friendly but selectively deaf with commands.. not invitations, and Yukki who is white coated, slim, hyper active, slightly neurotic, incredibly attentive and easily trained. Yukki copes with fireworks but will squeeze under our tiny coffee table if it thunders and look out pathetically. Daisy sees nothing as a threat; she has very inflated self-esteem which protects her. 

I love my dogs. I learn much from watching the way that they deal with life. They live in the moment and provided their basic needs are met are very content. When Daisy’s girth grows from stealing treats from an open store cupboard, she does not feel any shame or self-loathing. But then she does not stop to anticipate the discomfort that follows an illicit binging session.

My dogs are resilient and deal well with changes in their circumstances. It is a good lesson. Life is a twisting, turning road and the more adaptable we are, the more easily we bend to allow life to work with us, not against us and the more content we can find ourselves. Pets, as long as they feel safe, nourished, and near you, can find peace. 

Studies have shown recently that living with an animal companion improves a person's physical health and well-being. Having a pet can lower your blood pressure, reduce stress, and release endorphins. Many people also believe that connecting with animals improves their spiritual health. Animals with their seemingly boundless capacity to offer spiritual qualities such as unconditional love, gratitude, patience, and joy.

Daisy and Yukki have overflowed with affection for us without testing our characters first. They are always happy, rain or shine unless they are ill. They hold no grudges whatsoever, no matter how they are treated. 

If God taught an animal to live that kind of life, how much more should we feel ashamed that even with the Holy Spirit we struggle to do those things? 

Love

Revd. Annette

Please send me stories of how you are blessed by the animals in your life.

There was gentle excitement in the senior Shannon household this week, and several WhatsApp videos received, as we charted our youngest granddaughters first steps; watching her develop in confidence from being firmly balanced when standing and crouching down, to those two wobbly steps into the delighted arms of her 3-year-old sister.  Her proud sister’s words said it all. “She’s done it”.

It was whilst I was staying with my daughter, during the final week and birth of her second baby, that I applied for the position in this benefice, along with several others.  I received an invite for interview from all four, but Walbury Beacon was the first interview and I accepted.

This year there have been so many changes for both my granddaughter and me.  She has changed and grown from a helpless, vulnerable, tiny, baby to a strong-willed toddler. She refuses to be fed insisting on doing that herself, she is a pro in getting people’s attention, whether face to face or on WhatsApp, she giggles loudly and very infectiously, but does not like car journeys raspberries. She has had to learn so much.

There has also been a lot of new learning for me as I settle into a new role in a new area of the county, and I have also had to learn to adapt.

I am conscious of actions that I used to do without any thought at all. I reflect on when I could flip my body into a handstand, cartwheel, or backflip, when I would run with ease (if never with enthusiasm) and would have been horrified if I had developed any aches and pains that restricted my actions.  I was determined in my 30s, fuelled I must confess by a few glasses of wine, to recreate that sense of freedom and produce a cartwheel.  It was not very successful; I nearly broke my wrist and certainly strained a muscle in my upper thigh! 

As a young adult, armed with a degree, having given birth to a couple of children, I thought I knew lots and was eager for change.  It is only as I look back with more years and hopefully more wisdom that I realise how much I am still learning, and sadly also recognise for me change no longer feels so easy. 

Perhaps our relationship with God is the same. 

I have just returned from a long journey or road trip from Kintbury to Marrakech with five others.

The journey by road was 3,500 miles with another 900 nautical miles from Portsmouth to Santander. The ferry-ride across the Bay of Biscay, with my Peugeot 207 on board, was calm and there were a few dolphins along the way accompanying the ship in places. I estimated we stayed in seventeen places along the route with special times in Salamanca, Cordoba, Seville, Granada, in the mountains of Aragon, Zaragoza and Pamplona.

Spain’s scenery was impressive, its history complicated and riveting, its roads wonderful and free of traffic, with twice the space of the UK and 2/3rds of the population. And then crossing the Straits of Gibraltar precipitated a dramatic change of culture: from Christian to Muslim, from Europe to Africa, from fixed prices to bartering, from shops to souks and from paella to tagines.

Standing on the mountains of Southern Spain looking across the Straits of Gibraltar to Africa was an unforgettable moment, what a difference a short stretch of water can make! Ahead of us was Tangier, Fes, Marrakech and Casablanca all fascinating in their ways. Beyond them the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara which we didn’t quite get to.

Life in a broader sense is like a journey and indeed our faith can also be construed as one. God’s people in the Old Testament journeyed from Egypt to Canaan, with forty years in the desert en route, and also from Palestine or Jerusalem to Babylon and back. These journeys helped shape, discipline and form their faith and their understanding of God and their calling. In the New Testament Jesus was frequently travelling by foot with his disciples from Galilee to Jerusalem and in and out of Jerusalem. As they went, things happened to form the disciples as well. And in a memorable journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, Jesus drew near and talked to two disciples, revealing to them his resurrection and its meaning.

In any journey you need a destination, a map or satnav to get you there, a mode of transport, food along the way, a place to rest each night and companions to talk and reflect with. We might ask ourself the questions: where do we find those things in our faith-journey. What is the destination? How do we get there? What is the map or satnav? Who are our companions? What food do we need and where do we find rest? All questions to ponder and, in answering them, our own journeys may become enriching, joyful and fulfilling.

At this point in the Church’s year, we look back on the great festivals of Christmas, Easter and Pentecost speaking as they do of incarnation, redemption, resurrection and the gift of the Spirit. Equipped with the reality of these events in our own lives, we travel on in what is called “ordinary time” and do those good works which have been prepared for us beforehand (Ephesians 2:9). Let’s make the most of the opportunities en route, and let’s travel further towards our destination.

Good travelling!

Last Sunday my grandsons aged 4 and 6 years joined in the worship in Kintbury, sitting in the children’s corner at the back of the church with Grandad who was babysitting.  Our son and his wife, like so many couples have taken second jobs through the summer, in response to the rise in the cost of living. It was the first time our grandchildren have been to a Communion service.   

The theme for the sermon was prayer based on the Gospel which was John 17.1-11 which is Jesus' prayer for his disciples. 

Hoping that some children might join us I had left some colourful paper chains in the corner with an instruction sheet saying, ‘Praying is talking…and listening! God hears our prayers and cares! Jesus comforts us with His presence! Prayer changes things. Pray always! Think about things you could pray for. Draw a picture of them on the paper links, or ask someone to help you by writing them, join them together to make prayer chains.’

Dave told me that our grandchildren Isaac and Ezra were initially far more interested in the exciting array of toys available to play with, but after a bit of encouragement, they set to work thinking about all the things that they could pray for from plants to mums and dads.

At various moments in the service, Isaac’s face popped up over the pew to listen intently to what I was saying.  Isaac was particularly excited about being invited to help with the collection; he told me discreetly with some wonderment afterward, that it was heavy because there was a lot of money. His bow at the altar was rather theatrical (a Megan Markle moment perhaps). But he took it all very seriously.

Neither grandson has ever been up to the altar rail for a blessing but when invited were both keen to be involved even though grandad, who is not confirmed, does not come forward. They looked intently at me as I crouched down to say a blessing over them, something along the lines of, ‘May God fill your life with lots of love, adventures, and happiness. And may the light of Christ shine through the things you say and do’, Ezra, the youngest, unsure of what to respond looked at me, nodded, and replied with such sincerity ‘Ok thank you’. 

They really enjoyed coming forward at the end of the service to explain what they had been doing with the paper chains; I think being able to talk into a microphone would have enhanced the experience and enabled them to explain to the congregation in their own words what they had decided to pray for and why.

I reflect on what they had learned from that one service, that all the people in Church are very nice to you, welcoming, and listen to you.  That the music can be very loud but also softer at different parts of the service. That there are pretty decent biscuits and toys. That there is a rhythm to the liturgy. That adults receive something to eat at the altar rail and each person is spoken to individually. Several people are involved in leading the service. That people listen politely to what granny, dressed in a long white dress and a colourful stole, and other people are saying at the front and at the back of the church. People gather together to do something special and serious but there are lots of smiles and even some laughter. 

I think they learned quite a bit to encourage them to ask questions and it was lovely to see what a warm welcome they received.

Annette

Did you know that the word sing appears in the scriptures over 400 times and at least 50 are commands?

There was a very gifted music teacher in one of the schools in which I taught. 

The school had several troubled young students and a high number of looked-after children.  (I was shocked to discover that one 12-year-old girl had moved families 11 times). These confused, emotionally vulnerable, and angry young people were resistant to being taught.  We noticed how many loved being taught by this teacher; they would happily join her at dinner time for choir practice, and sullen behaviour transformed. They would beam with joy and enthusiasm as they sang together. 

She provided these young people with a sense of belonging.  She cared for them, set high standards of behaviour, and expected the best from them. They delivered.  She worked them hard to reach their potential.  It was enchanting to watch.  Achieving in music raised their self-esteem, often changing their attitude to other subjects and areas of their school life.  They became more positive.

Singing in the choir built a sense of support and community for the young people—in turn, it helped to reduce their stress. The group acted like a family. Lifting their voices helped any who were depressed or struggling with other issues without being intrusive.

The choir and us teachers were heartbroken when she moved on to another school, but they gave her such a beautiful farewell. I hope that sense of belonging, and achievement helped to increase the pupils' resilience and her love reminded them of how every one of them was important.

Recent research has shown that regular singing can lift your spirits, increase your immunity, and provide a workout for your brain and your lungs. These benefits are significant for everyone including those experiencing mild to moderate dementia.

On Wednesday, May 24th we are hosting our first Scones and Song in Kintbury Church at 3 pm It is an opportunity to gather informally to sing some of our favourite hymns and secular songs in church, accompanied by a piano. There will also be some light refreshments.  Please do come and may the singing help to lift our spirits and send us out with inner joy and filled tummies!

Annette

Songs & Scones

Hello Everyone, 

We have had some lovely weather this week, I hope everyone has been able to enjoy it, and have a lovely weekend. 

We have just added some more photos to the Photo gallery in the About us section, we will keep  this up to date with all the wonderful photos that get taken in & around our Beautiful Churches. 

If you have any photos you would like to share of special services, flowers, groups or bell ringing we would love to see them. 

/about-us#photo-gallery

Have a lovely weekend & Bank Holiday.

Tamara