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In September's magazine:

In our foreword, Nikki Arthy reflects on the recent floods;

Peter Firth provides a reflection on "Being Myself";

Bruce Rhodes updates us on "Food for Thought";

our monthy Music Notes are provided by Fiona Brown;

And finally our new headteacher, Andrew Meller, answers some questions.

 

FOREWORD

How do we satisfy our deepest yearnings? What do we value most in the world?

In the recent floods many people had to make quick decisions about what they wanted to save. As the waters threatened homes and businesses, we all had to decide what we hold dear. As water poured off the hill through our garden and alongside our house, we started moving possessions upstairs. Giles and I picked up books, papers and the computer. Josh was concerned for the television, Dominic for the Play Station 2.

But what matters most? For many of us, indeed perhaps for most of us, what we value is the richness of relationships with our fellow human beings. In all the grief caused by the floods, there is grace too. Without exception, the flood victims I visited talked of people worse off than themselves. The emergency services, Town Council and many, many volunteers worked to relieve hardship and to restore normality. The bowsers became the parish-pumps or village-wells of yesteryear, where once again people gathered to exchange news and views and paused to pass the time of day. Neighbour has cared for neighbour, young have cared for old.

As we have cared for one another, we have joined in partnership with a God who cares deeply for us all. We care because God cares passionately. We weep because God weeps. We pray because God prays too. When we recognise and experience our connections with each other, we touch something of the love and grace of God who walks with us, suffers with us and pours out hope. We know each other as graced and blessed to the extent that we become points of grace and blessing for each other. More than that, we set free the divine grace that transforms despair and gives wings to hope.

Winchcombe has a reputation for being a caring and friendly place. But in the coming months, we need a renewed determination to continue to care for one another in whatever way we can. For whilst the floods have threatened our security, above all they have reminded us of our need for one another and also for God.            

Nikki Arthy

BEING MYSELF

On this new day, Lord, I’m going to decide
To spend time quietly being myself.

Not just the person
Seen by neighbours and friends,
Or even by the ones I love most,
But me as I really am
At the still centre of the heart.

It’s difficult to be that person
Because so many demands are made on me.
I have to be what other people need
So much of the time –
A provider of comfort and smiles,
Things and facts;
A listening post, a little light relief,
A family rock, a sponge for tears.
I have to be these things
For those who need these things,
Whilst at the centre,
Starved of privacy and quietness,
Is someone that I hardly know,
Have almost forgotten.

So for some part of this day
I will sit quietly being myself
Relaxing my body and noticing
Where my mind goes when there are no pressures on it –
What it imagines,
Who it sees, what music it likes,
What memories it cherishes
And what hope it has.
I will discover what I really hold
To be of value,
Really want.
I will carve out a space of truth
About myself
And let it grow.

On this everyday day, Lord,
I will spend time quietly being myself.
It is the least that I can do
If I am to be of any value
To anyone else.

Peter Firth

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Food for Thought was started by the Methodist Church in 1998.  Its objective is to provide a meeting place, a lunch and a speaker on a topic of the day.  It meets at 12.30 pm on the third Thursday of the month in the Methodist Hall with breaks for Lent and the odd summer month.  The subjects discussed vary from GM foods, the Health Service, how to avoid mental deterioration in old age to global warming and visits from our MP and MEP.  I could go on but you will sense that the subjects are of social and general interest, and although organised by Christians the meetings are not ‘religious’.

First started by the Methodist Church, Food for Thought has always relied heavily on support from the other churches and so it seemed sensible to transfer responsibility to ‘Churches Together in Winchcombe’.  This was done a couple of years ago.  As I write, we have come to the summer break and the committee had its annual meeting to review the situation.  The charge for attending including lunch is £1.50 so it is obviously not intended to be a money-raising organisation, but we were still able by prudent housekeeping this year to give £100 to Churches Together.  The attendance of meetings varies between mid-twenties to mid-fifties depending on the weather, the subject and whether we clash with another local meeting or Ladies Day at Ascot.  Although attendance does vary, this year it was slightly up and so the lunches obviously meet a need.  We rely entirely on the helpers from all churches who loyally provide soup & cakes and wait at table.  We are always looking for more volunteers; it’s not an onerous job – it’s quite good fun and any costs incurred can be reclaimed.  Mary Hobbs has been in charge of catering for many years and has done a splendid job but she has now handed over to Anne Edwards (604206), so give her a call if you can help.  As with all organisations if you don’t do it, who will?  But it you can’t offer to help do come along: you might learn something, you will enjoy yourself and you can’t provide lunch at home for £1.50.

Bruce Rhodes

MUSIC NOTES

As I write, I am very much looking forward to re-housing the choir music library in its new purpose-built accommodation.  It will be wonderful to have adequate and suitable space for each of the adult choir members to store the hymnbooks etc assigned to them.  The new noticeboards will also be very useful; these, together with the proposed viewing of the choir calendar on the church website, should make it easier for our members to remain up-to-date with arrangements for practices, services and social events.

I am hoping to visit Winchcombe Abbey School this month to recruit more junior choristers to add to our talented and enthusiastic treble line.  We do also need more tenors and basses, though – could this be you, or anyone you know?  Last year we recruited two ‘Evensong’ basses, but they are unable to sing on Sunday mornings.  We are particularly looking for men who are able to attend the Thursday evening practices (6.40 – 7.45 pm) and the Sunday morning practice & service (9.45 – 11.45 am).  Boys whose voices have recently dropped would also be very welcome, especially as Edward Brown (a chorister at St Peter’s for ten years) will be leaving us to go to university in October.  Many thanks to Edward for all his excellent singing and trumpet-playing!

I have been enjoying scanning various websites, catalogues and CDs, and asking others’ advice, in the hope of introducing a number of new pieces to the choir’s repertoire next year.  Inspection copies of anthems/carols by Malcolm Archer, David Briggs, John Barnard & Kelly are fast approaching, as well as Psallan, the Royal School of Church Music’s 80th anniversary service and resource book.  The latter promises “a wealth of musical resources from across the world”.  Let us hope that at least some of this music will seem to be perfectly suitable for us, and indeed really inspiring.

A set of John Sanders’ Responses will also arrive shortly … we hope to learn these for the Deanery Evensong on October 28th.

Let us hope that the sun will shine on September 9th, for our bring-and-share lunch and rounders/uphill walk from Charlton Kings … that would seem a really propitious start to the new season!                                

Fiona Brown

WELCOME MR MELLER!

Andrew Meller will be one of the beginners at Winchcombe Abbey Primary School this term. He's not one of the pupils, he's the new Head Teacher. We asked him some questions ...

Where are you from?

I was born in Manchester and my parents still live there.  I trained for four years in the Lake District and then began my teaching career in Gloucestershire in 1986.  I have been living in Gloucestershire and teaching there or in Worcestershire ever since.

What has been your career so far?

I taught at Beech Green Primary School in Quedgeley for three years.  The school was completely new and when I first went there I had to wear a hard hat.  It’s quite a large school and now has an appropriate number of children for its size, but in those days there were just a head teacher, a caretaker, one infant teacher and one junior teacher – me.  Then I was promoted as head of the Juniors at Nailsworth Church of England Primary and stayed there for seven years before becoming Deputy Head at Bengeworth Church of England First School.  In my last four terms there I was the LEA Literacy Consultant.  My last job was as Head of Upton Snodsbury Primary School just after it failed its Ofsted inspection in 2004.

What would you highlight as some career highs and lows?

A real career low (and highly topical) was when Bengeworth School flooded in 1997.  The whole school was closed for a term and all the classes spread out over Worcestershire; my class was bussed into Redditch each day.  A highlight of my career was at Upton Snodsbury when Ofsted inspectors came back and the school was brought out of “Serious Weakness” classification.  We had a big party for parents, governors and children and it was one of those great occasions when the family of the school comes together.  Generally, working with children tends to lead to lots of high points and I have many happy memories of trips, events and special services.

What made you apply as Head Teacher at Winchcombe?

I came for an initial visit when I saw the advertisement.  The warmth of the welcome I received was inspiring; not just from the staff, but from the children and governors too.  The school has such a strong and happy family ethos and a very strong sense of “team”.  I felt I could contribute something to the continued development of the school.

What are your aims for the school?

I want to continue to build on the obviously firm foundations of the school without lowering the strong team spirit.  Ultimately I want it to be not just an outstanding school, but the outstanding school.  When children come through the door in the morning I want them to feel happy and excited to be in school.

Most children wanted to know, “Do you like chocolate?”

Yes, especially chocolate orange.

“What’s your favourite school dinner?”

Fish and chips with a (healthy)* side salad followed by cherry pie with (low fat)* ice-cream.  Anything Mrs Keylock makes looks very appetising.
* these words were added after a few moments contemplation.

What was your favourite subject at school? History.  

Which historical characters inspire you?

The Duke of Wellington; someone who was able to achieve great success in a number of fields and inspired people around him at the time.  Also Shakespeare; his output was phenomenal and his works are still read, performed and enjoyed four hundred years later.  A great achievement.

How do you relax?

With my family; I have three children.  I read a lot and go to the theatre.  I enjoy amateur dramatics and have also taken up Karate.

How do you feel when you’re matched in Karate against a parent or governor?

Before I was appointed, I was appropriately nervous.  Now it depends on how big they are and what colour belt they’re wearing.

What would you put into ‘Room 101’?

Hatred, custard and any communication from the DfES.
If you were stranded on a desert island what luxury would you hope to have with you?

A broad-brimmed hat, a good book and a bottle of white wine.

 

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