Blogging Crisis

The gap in my daily blog after an unbroken number of years is due to dulverton computer not functioning. Maybe sometime before it is corrected or we get a replacement. This note being added at local library facility.

Perhaps the time has come to review and restart on a new , less frequent basis. Make a positive from a negative.

St Bartholomew, Penn

Our celebrant here this morning is ex Penn...

A Brief History of St Bartholomew's Church, Penn by Rachel Hampton

The first church was built here by Sir Hugh de Bushbury, in 1200 A.D, but it is believed that Christian worship began on this site much earlier - from about 1025 A.D. In 1912 the round base and broken stem of a more ancient churchyard cross were discovered beneath the existing churchyard cross. This stood close to the South wall of the church and was being relocated after the South aisle of the church was enlarged. The round base and stem are believed to be the remains of a cross of Anglo-Saxon origin, set up by Leofric, Earl of Mercia, the husband of Lady Godiva, when he was Lord of the Manor of Upper Penn. He and Lady Godiva are known to have built churches or set up preaching crosses in the manors over which they had Lordship.

Further evidence which would support this being an Anglo-Saxon Christian site is that the original churchyard appears to have been circular and about one acre in size - the shape and size of Anglo-Saxon churchyards.

The cross would have been set up in the middle of this. The remains of the cross at Penn seems to have been at the centre of what we think to have been the original Christian site. An ancient track passed the site, so it was a good place for monks or itinerant priests to preach the Gospel. The church built by Sir Hugh de Bushbury in 1200 stood on the site of the present western end of the North Aisle, the part of the church nearest to the new extension. It is believed to have been about 14 metres by 7 metres. In its early days the church was dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The original church may have been a wooden structure quickly replaced by a stone building. Early churches had no seats for the congregation. An altar would have stood at the East end possibly in an apse. As in many rural communities, the local population may have stored some of their harvested crops in the church during the winter. They would certainly have had to give 1/10 of their crops in tithe to pay the priest.

Although the evidence is circumstantial, it would seem that the parish of Penn was caught up in the religious turmoils of the 16th. and 17th. centuries. In 1553, at the accession of Mary Tudor, the Vicar of Penn, the Rev. Slaney was dismissed from his benefice at a time when Queen Mary was purging the church of married priests. The change in the dedication of the church to St. Bartholomew, (the date of which is unknown), could well have been an indication of the sympathy of leading members of the congregation towards the New Learning and the Huguenots in France, killed in a massacre on St. Bartholomew s Day in 1572. The acquisition of the pulpit in the 17th Century is an indication of the growing importance felt by the clergy to educate the congregation in the christian faith. The Rev Charles Wynn, who left the proceeds from his estate to found a school in Penn and to buy Bibles for the children of the village, was carrying out the aims of Puritan leaders to educate children to read the Bible. Since Charles Wynn was Vicar of Penn throughout the time that Oliver Cromwell was in power, he was probably also responsible for carrying out Cromwell s order to throw the font out of the church. In 1682, the font, presumably lying unused in the churchyard, was turned upside down and made the base of the parish sundial. It was discovered by a later Vicar and brought back into its proper use in 1855.

During the 18th. and 19th. centuries Penn was an attractive rural community, where wealthy families wanted to live, away from the heavily polluted industrial and mining districts. The people of the village benefited from the generosity and caring of such people as Dr. Sedgwick who endowed five Almshouses for the elderly poor of the village. The population increased and further extensions were made to the church. In 1 764-5 the Tower was cased in bricks and heightened. The door into the Tower became the main entrance, instead of the porch on the south wall where the Vestry existed and had been reached through a lych-gate. In 1799 a long chancel was built at the expense of Mrs. ElIen Purshouse and her brother Thomas Bradney. A south aisle was added in 1844, but this proved to be unsatisfactory as the altar was out of sight to those sitting there. So a further major extension was made from 1871-2. The nave and the south aisle were extended eastwards and a completely new chancel was built. The organ chamber was added in 1901 and the Vestry in 1958. So over the years the church has been enlarged to meet the needs of the growing population.

The building of the Church Hall enabled the church in the 20th. century to provide activities in the week for children and adults as well as facilities for a Sunday School and church meetings. In the church, the positioning of an altar at the western end of the Chancel and the repositioning of the screen in the 1970s, opened up the Chancel and made the services more accessible to all. A new wing of the church was opened by the Bishop of Lichfield on 22nd October 2000. This contains a Parish Office, a meeting room called The Oak Room, a kitchen and toilets. These new facilities enable the congregation to enjoy clubs like Painting in Penn and learning, Such as the Start and Alpha Courses and allow them to take up the challenge to extend Christian mission further into the community of Penn

Oops! 0ur resident is from Penn near High Wycombe and not this Penn....

Moving On

'Now is the hour, for me to say goodbye'......as sung by Grace Fields, Bing Crosby, Vera Lynn, Sanatra and many others.

They came, they stayed briefly, they moved on......

Burnby Hall Gardens

Today Cynthia and friends from Dulverton visited the national water lily collection at Burnby Hall.

Burnby Hall Gardens & Museum.

The ornamental gardens, the lakes with a National Collection of Hardy Water Lilies, and the Stewart Museum are the creation of Major Percy Marlborough Stewart (1871-1962).

Major Stewart’s family was descended from the Earls of Galloway, and through them the Spencer-Churchills; his godfather was the Duke of Marlborough and he was a 2nd cousin of Winston Churchill. From 1904 when he and his wife bought the estate, the Major devoted his life to creating these gardens of outstanding beauty; interspersed with eight world tours between 1906 and 1922, when he, often with his wife, visited every continent, explored remote regions and collected a remarkable range of cultural and religious exhibits (now housed in the Stewart Museum).

On his death, his wife having predeceased him and there being no children of the marriage, Major Stewart (knowing that it was also his wife’s wish), willed that the Gardens and the Collection should be left in trust for the benefit of the people of Pocklington. It is this Trust that now manages the estate as a charity.

ACS Scarborough Reports

see http://www.additionalcurates.co.uk for Holy Week visit of Fr Darren to Dulverton and St Saviour, Scarborough.

Father Darren's visit to the Church of St Saviour with All Saints, Scarborough and Dulverton Hall

Dulverton Unity Prayers

week of prayer for
christian unity

2010

You are witnesses to these things

Luke 24:48

Churches around the world traditionally mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity from 18 to 25 January in the octave between the feasts of St. Peter and St. Paul. The global organisers (the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches) of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity asked Scotland to host the week in 2010 to mark the centenary of the first world mission conference that met in Edinburgh. This gathering is traditionally seen as the beginning of the modern ecumenical movement, which seeks the visible unity of the world's divided churches.

Scottish churches are also involved in celebrations for the anniversary of the 1910 conference on the theme, "Witnessing to Christ today". Scotland therefore suggested as the theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2010, "You are witnesses to these things" (Luke 24:48).

dulverton daily prayer at 10.30 a.m.

Monday 18^th: meditation and prayer (Stanley)

Tuesday 19^th: bcp eucharist (Tony)

Wednesday 20^th: meditation and prayer (Paul)

Thursday 21^st: meditation and prayer (Clifford)

Friday 22^nd: cw eucharist (John)

Saturday 23^rd: meditation and prayer (Leslie)

Sunday 24^th: cw eucharist (Clifford)

Monday 25^th: bcp eucharist (Peter)

Please make visitors welcome – Invitation issued through Churches Together.

Christmas at Dulverton

Joy and Peace to all my readers at this Holy Feast of the Lord's Nativity:

Peter Ruffle (priest) R.I.P.

Peter Cousins Ruffle R.I.P. (1919-2009)

Funeral Homily at St Martin-on-the-hill, Scarborough

Friday 9^th October 2009

NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE

The gospels tell us that Peter, disciple and apostle, was called to follow Jesus ‘not once, but twice’, both times at the seaside. In the opening chapter of Mark’s gospel Jesus calls “Come after me, and I will make you to become a fisher of men” (Mark 1.17). In the concluding chapter of John’s gospel Jesus challenges “Follow me, signifying by what manner of death Peter should glorify God” (John 21.19).

I came to know Ann and Chris when we were colleagues in the Bradford Diocese. Ann and I worked together at Bradford Marriage Guidance Council. Today Alastair serves in the parish where I was a Team Vicar. It was back then in the late 80’s and early 90’s that Peter Ruffle first came on to the screen of my consciousness.

It was a surprise, and a delight, when Peter came to join us at Dulverton Hall on 3^rd April 2003 and I have been privileged to get to know him personally since then as a brother priest and a friend. It has been a period during which his first call from the Lord to ‘follow Him’ has merged into the second to journey with Him through age and infirmity, suffering and death.

Peter’s adventure in discipleship and ministry is summarised on today’s Order of Service sheet and that will provide the focus for much thankful remembrance at the service to be held next Friday at Lee-on-Solent.

In John chapter 21 our Lord’s second call to the apostle Peter comes between the resurrection and the ascension. Peter has just been restored in the love of Jesus, following his threefold denial at the crucifixion. Peter is challenged to demonstrate his response by his ministry to Christ’s flock. Then our Lord goes on to spell out Peter’s future: “When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkest whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird theee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. Now this he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me”.

When our Peter came to Dulverton Hall he was still active in ministry and quite mobile with the help of his old motor car that had seen better days. He worshipped regularly here at St Martin and got about doing duty in a variety of local parishes where he affectionately remembered. Our table in the Dulverton dining room was frequently enriched when Peter invited his new friends to a meal, as well as family members and friends from former years. He had a disciplined private ministry of caring intercession for very many including fellow residents at Dulverton where he presided and preached in the chapel. At different times he was our chairman and our vice chairman. He served on many committees and supported a number of groups. He was rarely seen without a book that he was reading, either before services in chapel or sat outside in the fresh air. As long as his car lasted it was generously available for hospital visits and afternoons out or whatever. He could always be relied on to turn up at formal dinners with his notorious joke book from which he would extract a selection as part of after dinner entertainment.

We looked on with increasing concern as his body began to fail him and he had to cope with increasing pain. His active ministry became morphed in a more passive one as he travelled the road to the end. It was a privilege to minister to him in his room and in hospital. He made it abundantly clear that a Dulverton blessing was something special amid all the other ministries of his final days.

Peter lived for just short of 90 years. He was a priest for just over 65 years. Today we give sincere thanks to Almighty God for Peter Cousins Ruffle, a gracious and kindly son of the gospel and a brother in Christ. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

P.A.

Garden Party

Yesterday was Garden Party day at Dulverton Hall (actually a non too subtle attempt at recruiting new residents by the management - it was not a money raising event! I refused to be a public exhibit and took myself off elsewhere whilst my wife was in bed unwell).

Julian and Barbara

Today would have been their golden wedding anniversary.

Together for ever now.

Home to Scarborough

Sea mist envelopes Scarborough on return.

Dulverton changes in 5 days include 2 in hospital, 2 sick in rooms, 1 new resident, 2 visitors, 1 new priest with permission to officiate, 1 been to Wimbledon, 1 off to Torquay.

Issue of the day is new system of daily milk distribution.

Barbara's Funeral

(our only Roman Catholic resident has died and we have all been to the local Roman Catholic church for her funeral today)

Funeral Mass

The Mass is the liturgical center of the Order of Christian Funerals. The body of the deceased must be present in the Church for this ritual. The most meaningful celebrations are when the Scripture texts, prayers and musical selections have been chosen beforehand to reflect the life and faith of the person who has died. The Church community will help in this selection process and is usually willing to provide lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, and other ministers as needed. All selections should empower the full participation of those gathered to celebrate this liturgy in responses and singing,. Only Catholics should take communion, but everyone should rise and kneel at appropriate times throughout the service.

Many symbols are used during the funeral Mass. Theses include The Paschal (Easter) Candle reminding us of Christ's Resurrection, The holy water (which is sprinkled on the casket) and the pall (white cloth placed on casket) reminding us of our Baptism. Family members are invited to place on the coffin a religious symbol that was meaningful to the deceased person, such as a crucifix, bible, prayer book or rosary.

The Order of the Service

1. Entrance Procession the body is brought into church
2. Prayers at the Foot of the Altar
3. First Reading
4. Responsorial Psalm
5. Second Reading
6. Gospel passage
7. Sermon
8. Apostle's C reed Presentation of Gifts
9. Rite of Peace
10. Consecration
11. Communion
12. Final Commendation At most Masses this is the time for the incensing of the casket
13. Recessional The deceased is taken out of the church to the final resting place.

Funeral Liturgy without A Mass

This rite will be used, with the body of the deceased present, when the Funeral Mass is not permitted, namely on solemn feasts including Holy Thursday, Good Friday or Holy Saturday or when for pastoral reasons the pastor and the family judge that the funeral liturgy outside Mass is a more suitable form of celebration. This rite normally takes place in the parish church but many also be celebrated in the home of the deceased, a funeral home or cemetery chapel. Selections for prayers and Scripture readings may be bade, however, this rite includes neither the liturgy of the Eucharist nor the distribution of Eucharist.

His name is John

On the birthday of John Baptist the Scarborough Evening News reports on Fr John's anniversary celebrations:

Service celebrates a life of dedication
RELIGIOUS MILESTONE ...

Father John Andrews prepares to celebrate his 65 years as a priest at a service at St Saviour’s Church with left to right, Rev Tony Mills and the Bishop of Whitby the Rt Rev Robert Ladds

Published Date: 24 June 2008
By Susan Stephenson

A SCARBOROUGH priest delivered a special service to celebrate 65 years since he was ordained.

Father John Andrews, 89, gave the service at St Saviour’s Church in Gladstone Road in the presence of the Rt Rev Robert Ladds, Bishop of Whitby, and received many letters of congratulation – including one from Buckingham Palace.He was also delighted to receive cards from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York and the pilgrims to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham.Father John’s assistant, Clarice Lockwood, said: “The service was absolutely wonderful and he got a standing ovation at the end.“The church was full and there were people in the congregation that Father John had known for over 40 years including people from his former parishes.”After the service everyone enjoyed a buffet, provided by St Saviour’s, and Father John was presented with a book as a special gift.Mrs Lockwood added: “It was a lovely evening and Father John said he felt incredibly proud to be a priest of God.“The thing that really moved him was the congratulations he received from the Dean of Lichfield, having spent 52 years in that particular diocese.”Father John Andrews still gives regular services at St Saviour’s, St Martin’s-on-the-Hill in Albion Road and at the private chapel in Dulverton Hall, Esplanade, a home for retired members of the clergy.He was ordained as an Anglican priest at Southwark Cathedral on June 20, 1943, by Bishop Bertram Simpson.He retired in 1986 and came to Scarborough in 2001 to live at Dulverton Hall, which is run by the Church of England Pensions Board.

Fr Andrews' Anniversary

Priest celebrates 65 years in the church
CELEBRATION ... Father John Andrews, who was first ordained as an Anglican priest 65 years ago
Published Date: 19 June 2008
By Susan Stephenson

A SCARBOROUGH priest is celebrating 65 years since he was first ordained.

Father John Andrews, 89, still gives regular services at St Saviour’s Church in Gladstone Road, St Martin-on-the-Hill in Albion Road and at the private chapel in Dulverton Hall, Esplanade, a home for retired members of the clergy.

On reaching his 65th anniversary, he said: “I can’t believe it – it seems impossible to me. When I started it was during the war and all I wanted was to be a parish priest.”

Father John was born in Chesham, Bucks, and studied at Keble College, Oxford, and Chichester Theological College.He was ordained as an Anglican priest at Southwark Cathedral on June 20, 1943, by Bishop Bertram Simpson.Father John worked as an assistant curate in Bermondsey and Waterloo, London, before getting married in 1945.He spent 52 years working in the Diocese of Lichfield and was made a Prebendary of Lichfield Cathedral in 1981.The priest retired in 1986 and came to Scarborough in 2001 to live at Dulverton Hall, which is run by the Church of England Pensions Board.

Father John has received many cards congratulating him on reaching his special anniversary – some from people he knew 50 years ago.

He said: “I have seen enumerable changes over the years. I still enjoy it as much as always, but I will start to wind down now.”

The priest, who has a son and two grandsons, enjoys reading and taking walks along the Esplanade, which he calls “the best part of Scarborough”.

He has just recently given up driving and enjoys going on regular outings with St Saviour’s Church.

Father John Andrews will deliver a special service in the presence of the Bishop of Whitby, which will be held at 7pm tonight at St Saviour’s Church in Gladstone Road.

Returning the compliment

I see that this blog has been given a link from the Forward in Faith site: http://forwardinfaith.com/

Welcome to any new readers arriving here via that route. Please feel free to comment on anything you find here.

The computer being used is a communal facility provided free in our hobbies room.

Anyone retired or approaching retirement from a Forward in Faith parish would be very welcome here as new residents. I would be happy to correspond with anyone who has questions to ask.

Scrabble

Scrabble is a very popular pastime in our community.

The verb "to scrabble" also means to scratch, scramble or scrape about.

Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. Official reference works (e.g. The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, now in its 4th edition) provide a list of permissible words, many of which are rarely found in standard English writing.

The name Scrabble is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc. in the US and Canada and of Mattel elsewhere. Scrabble was a trademark of Murfett Regency in Australia, until 1993 when it was acquired by Spear. The game is also known as Alfapet, Funworder, Skip-A-Cross, Spelofun and Palabras Cruzadas ("crossed words").

The game is sold in 121 countries in 29 different language versions. One hundred million sets have been sold worldwide, and sets are found in one out of every three American homes.

Scrabble in the Bible

"And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the King of Gath.

And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard."

(I Samuel chapter 2 verses 12 and 13 in The Authorised Version)

Falklands 25, Dulverton 5

Twenty five years ago the atlantic force regained sovereignity for Britain in the Falklands. It was the summer of our twenty fifth wedding anniversary.



Five years ago the archbishop of York dedicated this new retirement complex in which we live. In that autumn we became the first residents of flat thirty four.




THE FALKLAND ISLANDS MEMORIAL CHAPEL


When the thunder of the guns was finally stilled in and around the Falkland Islands on 14th June 1982, 258 families were left to count the terrible cost. They had lost sons, fathers and husbands in the fierce actions fought at sea, on land, and in the air. More than half the British casualties died at sea; the majority under fierce enemy attack which sank five ships and damaged eight more, some severely. Most of those killed have no grave but the sea. Others died in the fighting on land; many on dark hillsides in night battles. Yet more were killed while flying over land and sea. The Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel, located in the south of England has been built in their memory. Let them never be forgotten.



The Annual Memorial Service held there today, at noon, will be attended by the Queen, the Prime Minister, and Lady Thatcher.



THE DULVERTON CELEBRATION DINNER



The anniversary here will be marked this evening by a celebration dinner followed by a community quiz around the theme of 5th anniversaries.

One hundred and not out

Today we celebrate the 100th birthday of a priest brother who is still very mentally alert and physically active. He is clear that at the chapel eucharist (packed out with his family and friends)
it will be the Feast of the Epiphany and not his birthday that will be being celebrated. He arrives at his centenary just a week ahead of a lady resident in another Pension Board house.

The Church Times recently reported a 100 year old priest in Wells celebrating the eucharist himself and preaching entirely from memory, because he is blind, on his birthday.

Also I read in the national press that the oldest Britain, Annie Knight, has just died aged 111.
The oldest person in the world is Elizabeth Bolden of Memphis, Tennesse and she is 116.

The life and ministry of our centenarian is described in verse by another priest resident here under the title "One Hundred Lines for January 6th 2007". Here is a bit of it:

A boy was born on sixth of Jan -
That's how this lengthy tale began:
Nineteen 0-7 - the future bright!

.....the powers that be
considered that eventually
As an archdeacon he would best
Use all the gifts that he possessed.

A new hall on the Esplanade
With all mod cons - why ask for more?
He'll settle in, be happy here,
To plan for his centennial year.

Punctual as ever, he still feels
His duty to be prompt for meals.
He takes a morning stroll, but yet
Walks the long corridors when wet.
No more committees, nor debates,
Budgets, conflicting diary-dates.
No talk of graveyards, budgets, heating,
Nor the next Church Commissioners' meeting!
And(blest relief) no altercation
At any awkward Visitation.

His brain's alert: he puzzles most
At crosswords in the Yorkshire Post.
There's time for snoozing, and to see
Snooker and Countdown on TV.
No further shame at his addiction
To problems in detective fiction!

As Archdeacon Emeritus,
Accept our grateful thanks and praise.
We wish you well for future days,
Quite confident that you will cope,
And face what lies ahead, with hope.

Fourth Anniversary

Four years since we came to live at Dulverton - Church of England Pensions Board complex of 34 flats ( 4 forcouples, 30 singles).

In our chapel each Sunday there are 3 services:
8.15 a.m. Prayer Book Eucharist(said)
10.30 a.m. Common Worship Eucharist (with hymns and sermon)
5.30 p.m. Prayer Book Evening Prayer(said)
Resident clergymen officiate.
Today I assisted at 8.15 a celebrant not too good on his pins and we have to go down into the congregation to some communicants; I presided at 10.30 for a sick priest and took him his communion in his room afterwards. 3rd before Advent in CW but we interrupted the liturgy at 11.00 a.m. for Remembrance Sunday act of remembrance. Where we are situated we can hear the 2 minute silence starting and concluding booms at the town ceremony held at the top of nearby Olivers Mount.

Attendance at 8.15 was 8 and at 10.30 another 12. Other residents go out to worship at local Anglican churches. Dulverton was remembered in the diocesan intercessions today "We pray for the Manager, Staff and support workers, asking God to strengthen the happy relationship between them and residents. We ask for a blessing on those who have newly come to the house and pray for growth in the common life and contentment of our community. For the lonely, ill or frail. We give thanks for the long life and service of Archdeacon Charles who will be 100 on 6th January."

The local parish church is dedicated to St Martin. His feast day coincides with Armistice Day so each year as we keep Remembrance of the war dead we also thank God for Martin who in about 316 in Pannonia(in modern day Hungary) was a soldier in the Roman army and a Christian before becoming a priest and then a monk bishop until his death in 397.

At Martinmas in past days in rural England it was the time for rent settlements, land payments and hiring fairs. Farm workers called it Pack-rag Day, as their hiring agreements ended then and they bundled up their belongings to move on. If things had gone well their soon-to-be ex employer would treat them to a feast before they departed, with plenty of Martlemas beef or mutton.