Cambridge org

January 2019

2

the image of God so perhaps our transformation before God is into

fuller, better, more whole human beings, the people that God made

us to be. And that encompasses our trials and struggles but also our

joys and our fun. Paul’s letter to the Roman church reminds us that

we are to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who

mourn.

I hope that our churches are places that offer a place where both our

tears and our smiles are welcome, space to grieve and mourn but

also space to laugh and celebrate, people with whom to do this and

the chance to discover God with us, always with us, whatever we find

ourselves going through. Only last month we celebrated Christmas

and that eternal truth of the infant Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.

God with us, in good times, in times of joy and happiness, but also

God with us in the mess, when life is hard and challenging.

I already mentioned Jesus at the wedding in Cana, perhaps laughing

in celebration and joy with his friends. This story, found in John

chapter 2, is a wonderful tale of the Jesus who is full of life, the Jesus

of abundance and plenty. It describes him transforming water into

wine, taking ordinary water and changing it into the finest wine – lots

of it, several hundred litres! What a man to have at a wedding! Now,

whether you believe that this story is true or not, the writer of the

gospel describes it as a sign, and signs point us to things, or show us

things. This shows a God, seen in Jesus, who is full of grace and

love and generosity and abundance and when he calls us to follow

him, that is the life he calls us in to.

As we begin a new year together, we have no idea what the coming

months will bring. However, the truth of that first Christmas is a truth

for life today that whatever does happen, God will be there, and that

in him there is space for mourning or weeping but also in him is found

joy and fullness of life.

The Revd Rachel Rosborough

rachelrosborough@hotmail.com

The Vicar’s Letter

From time to time, I hear some

very interesting ideas about what

church and the Christian life

should be like. ‘I don’t come to

church to enjoy myself,’ someone

once said to me; ‘I don’t expect to

be comfortable,’ said another and,

lastly, ‘Christians aren’t supposed

to be happy’. Now perhaps these

comments reflect the truth that

living the kind of life that Jesus

called us to has challenges,

Christians are not exempt from hard times and struggles; indeed, a

number of our church family have had to deal with desperately difficult

things in recent weeks, and Jesus certainly models a life of sacrifice

and service which can also be challenging. But perhaps those

comments also reflect a kind of religious understanding that is not a

true reflection of Jesus’ life, or the life he calls us to. He says to his

disciples that he has come that we might have life and have it to the

full, or in abundance.

I remember as a young Christian reading a book of reflections that a

minister had given me and one was entitled ‘Do you ever imagine

Jesus laughing?’ And I never had. It went on to ask us to imagine the

little boy Jesus with his infectious giggles, or the young man Jesus with

his friends, laughing at something, or Jesus at the wedding in Cana

sharing a laugh with his disciples. Now, of course, we do not have

specific records of these events but we do see a Jesus in the gospels

who is totally and completely human and who therefore, would have

laughed as well as cried, sighed, wondered, dreamt, smiled and

frowned.

Christianity is a call to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, to allow God to

transform us that we may become more like him. It is tempting to think

that means more godly and less human but Jesus was fully human,

and right at the beginning of the Bible it says that humans are made in

3

items to raise money for refugees and given their own money to buy

items for refugees.

The displaced people in Calais, Dunkirk and the rest of Europe

continue to need help. Despite the lack of media attention and

awareness throughout the UK, in Cambridge, our movement isn't just

continuing, it's growing. It is growing because of our volunteers who

give so much time and energy. We are enormously grateful for

everything they have achieved, and we would love you to join us.

Please visit https://camcrag.org.uk/ for more information.

Tony King

CamCRAG : Charity of the Month

CamCRAG started life in the Summer of

2015 as a Facebook group and began

taking donations to Calais to help the

thousands of people in the ‘Jungle’ camp.

It soon became a community group

raising money, collecting donations,

funding frontline projects and organising

convoys of volunteers and aid to Calais every 6 weeks. By November

2016 the ‘Jungle’ had been dismantled, but CamCRAG continued, as

a registered charity supporting refugees in Calais, Dunkirk, Paris and

other places in Europe. The convoys, collections, fundraisers and

funding continue today, bringing humanitarian aid to the hundreds of

refugees in Northern France and tens of thousands of refugees

throughout Europe.

Over the past year CamCRAG volunteers have done many different

jobs while on our convoys to Northern France. They’ve sorted

clothes, repaired tents, prepared food, chopped firewood, and

distributed aid directly to refugees. Wherever possible CamCRAG

works closely with local groups such as the Refugee Community

Kitchen and the Refugee Women’s Centre to distribute aid and

information in Calais, Dunkirk and Paris.

CamCRAG contributes to inter-associational fundraisers, including

last winter’s #Boots1000 project to buy 1000 waterproof boots, and

the #Love4Lesvos Campaign to support over 7,000 refugee men,

women and children who are stranded in camps in dire conditions

with minimum provision.

In the Cambridge area, our volunteers have run donation drop off

days, turned blankets into ponchos, spoken at churches, schools and

civic events, led workshops, invented new tent designs, collected

money at concerts, fairs and events, organised fundraising events like

the “Big Cambridge Calais Sleep Out”, hosted film showings, created

databases and websites, distributed flyers and posters and spread

awareness among their friends and family. They have sold their own

SEEK for 2019

This is the opportunity to thank all our

distributors who, month by month, ensure

that over 300 copies of SEEK are

circulated throughout the parish, and

especially to thank Sue Wagner who

coordinates this distribution.

It is a good time too to thank our printers,

Chris and Barbara Wright who are

unfailingly helpful and good humoured and

who turn each issue around for us in a

remarkably short space of time.

February is the month in which we begin to review and reformat our

advertisements. If anyone is interested in advertising in Seek in the

coming year, details can be found on page 7.

The annual subscription for 2019 will remain at £5.00 (10 copies at 50p

and the October issue free).

Please would you give this to the distributors who will ask you for

it when they deliver the February issue. You do not have to do

anything now.

4

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Charities - 2018

Thank You – Thank You – Thank You

Thank You to Susan Chester for administering the Charity of the

Month so efficiently; after several years, Susan has decided that

she would like to hand over this responsibility and we are looking

for someone else to take on this role. In the meantime, Rachel and I

will take this on.

Thank You to the sponsors who have provided articles for Seek,

put up displays and advertised their chosen charity.

Thank You to you; your generosity is unsurpassed. The Charity of

the Month and Lent lunches have raised £8,792 in 2018 (£8,479 in

2017). The majority of these donations are given under Gift Aid

which adds more than £2,000 to this sum.

I have received a number of letters from the charities we have

supported during the year expressing their grateful thanks for your

generosity.

Many thanks,

Stuart Lingard

You are invited to join us at

St Mark’s next Community Lunch

Sunday 27th January at 12.30 pm

Please sign up in the Narthex if you wish to attend.

Cost £5.00

5

Advertise in this magazine for as little as £45 per annum

for 11 issues.

Contact Fiona King on 01223 357420

or via email to Jane Plows (janemp@virginmedia.com)

Charities of the Month : 2019

Crib Service collection The Children’s Society

Carol Service collection The Bible society

Lent Lunches 2019 Centre 33

Month Charity Sponsor

January CamCRAG

Cambridge Convoy Refuge Action Group)

Tony King

February Humanitarian Open Street Map Team / HOT

Rebecca and Helen Firth

March Cambridge Churches Homeless Project

Kris Smythe

April Carers Trust Cambridgeshire,

Peterborough, Norfolk

Stuart Evans

May Gombe Perrin Hardy and Andrew Watts

June Cambridge Money Advice Centre Shev Roser

July Read Easy Lizzy Jarvis

August ATLEU

Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit

Jane Plows

September The Red Balloon Cambridge Derek Cummings

October Gombe Perrin Hardy and Andrew Watts

November ABF, the soldiers’ charity Miles Elliott

December Church Urban Fund Stuart Lingard

Newnham Quilters Banner

Regular users of the Community Centre

have been intrigued by this striking new

banner which is hanging in the large hall.

Judy Challis, who coordinates the Newnham

Quilters’ group, tells us about it.

2018 marks the centenary of womens'

suffrage - not for all women but it was a start.

Newnham College houses the beautiful

Cambridge Alumnae banner which was

made around 1908. It can be seen in its

cabinet in the College - just ask at the new

porters' lodge.

This September Newnham Quilters, based in St Mark's Community

Centre, set out to make a modern example of a suffrage banner. Using

a background of blue/green velvet we made irises (for Newnham

College) in the suffragette colours of purple, white and green and

applied them, along with a suitable slogan, STILL SEWING, STILL

VOTING, to reflect our debt to the Cambridge Alumnae and all that

they fought for on our behalf.

Special thanks to Anne Thomson of Newnham College and Carolyn

Ferguson for all their help.

Judy Challis

The Church Urban Fund

Over £900 was raised for the Church Urban

Fund in our December Charity of the Month

collection. Many thanks to all those who

donated so generously.

Stuart Lingard

6

Friday Talks in the Community Centre

During the Spring Term the Community Centre is putting on a series

of Talks by local people on a variety of topics. They will be held on

alternate weeks from Friday 25th January with the first speaker

being Jeremy Whitton Spriggs. All the talks will start at 10.00 am and

finish by 11.30 am after refreshments. Full programme details will be

available in early January.

Full details will be on posters on church and centre notice boards

and around the village early in the New Year. No need to book - just

turn up and pay £3.00 on the day.

Derek Cummings

I AM sayings: The True Shepherd After the Quiet Day at Little Gidding in October at which the

participants considered the “I am” sayings found in St John’s Gospel,

Anne Howie suggested we should contact Hannelore Hägele and ask

if we might reproduce some her commentary on the True Shepherd

and The Door. Hannelore kindly furnished us with a wealth of

material and we only have space to include a little of it.

When speaking about the True Shepherd one must also say

something about his sheep: “shepherd and sheep” conjures up a

particular image or images. And that takes us straight to the heart of

the matter of these I AM sayings - for Jesus used a pictorial

language. The Jews of his days were familiar with the imageries He

used but did not necessarily understand the meaning behind such

sayings. These are mixed metaphors, of sorts, and need unravelling.

Although the sayings I am the True Shepherd and I am the Door

seem at one level straight-forward, what however needs to be

brought into focus right from the start are the sheep, especially the

little Lamb. A shepherd without his flock is not much of a shepherd.

And it is the shepherd who is in charge over the sheep…

… Now what about the sheep? Is it not all about them too in John’s

Gospel, first half of Chapter 10? Yes - and Jesus having identified

Himself with them. For this we need to go back to the beginning of

the gospel.

In John 1:29, we read that John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims,

"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

Jesus the Christ is the "agent and servant of God”. And here we

delve further into symbolism for The Lamb symbolises purity and

innocence, gentleness, as well as submission.

What does the lamb represent in the Bible? Right throughout Old

Testament times a lamb was offered sacrificially. Even its blood had

deep-rooted meaning. Just think of the story of the Israelites leaving

Egypt in haste. (Exodus 11-12 The Passover Meal: they were to

sprinkle the blood of the lamb, their last meal, on the doorposts and

lintel of their dwellings).

In Christianity, the lamb represents Christ as both suffering and

triumphant; it is typically a sacrificial animal, but also, when depicted

with the lion (as in the modern fiction Narnia), the pair can indicate a

state of paradise. Furthermore, the lamb symbolises sweetness,

forgiveness and meekness.

For all their endearing qualities, sheep are often talked about in an

uncomplimentary way. Unlike the sly fox, a sheep although cute, is

also said to be dumb, sheepish (often that is us too) or behaving in an

unworldly way. Hence Sheep need shepherding. Anybody who has

ever taken a group of children, or even adults, to places will have

experienced what responsibility it is to bring his or her charges safely

back home. Having gone to the British Museum by underground with a

class of 12 year-old children I know how challenging that can be.

Because The Lamb is so central to the Christian

message, artists have made it their subject in

numerous well-known works of art, especially in

paintings. Look at Francisco de Zurbarán’s Agnus Dei

(1639, Museo de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes de

San Fernando, Madrid ©). I am always greatly moved when seeing

the panel of a tied-up lamb on an altar - a little lamb, so helpless and

meek.

7

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Comberton Road, Barton Notes from a Newnham Naturalist

Look out for copies of James Cadbury’s little booklet

which can be found in the Community Centre.

At the suggestion of Joy, his wife, we have put

together all the articles he has written for Seek over

the last 12 years.

They are reproduced exactly as they were originally

written. The only addition has been a little

supplementary artwork. Some of the illustrations, including that of

the heron on the cover, have been contributed by James himself.

James has been a naturalist for virtually all his life. He has kept a

detailed natural history diary, with frequent illustrations, from the

age of ten. He worked for the RSPB for nearly 50 years and is an

expert on bird song and calls.

And then, there is the

magnificent altar-piece by

the van Eyck brothers who

painted it for the cathedral

St Bravo, in Ghent. The

central panel, known as

the Adoration of the Mystic

Lamb gives us the most

triumphal vision of the

Lamb having shed His blood and yet living on in glory. The central

figure - the Agnus Dei as it is known (Lamb of God) - has become

made known more widely as a postage stamp. What a splendid way

of evangelising the world. Although, many

people and unbelievers may have asked

themselves: “What is the meaning of a

bleeding lamb, still appearing alive and in

Glory?”

Well, that’s a good starting point for a

discussion world-over.

8

Paradise Island, there is a Heronry and in the winter, huge flocks

of Rooks and Jackdaws.

For many residents, a walk through Paradise is a daily pleasure - it

is heavily used by pedestrians, fishermen, dog walkers and

joggers. Recently, to bring all these people together, we formed

the FRIENDS OF PARADISE, to celebrate the reserve and help

with its preservation and management. So far, we have planted

snowdrops, had meetings about hedgehogs and recycling and

formed work parties, giving Vic Smith (the City’s ecology officer)

some hands-on help. If you would like to become a member of

Friends of Paradise, join a work party (or simply report a problem),

please contact Pam Gatrell (chairman) pamelagatrell@gmail.com

or Olwen Williams (secretary) olwenw@gmail.com, so that you get

information about forthcoming events.

Olwen Williams

Please join us, to celebrate and preserve this special place!

Friends of Paradise

Newnham residents will all know the Nature

Reserve called Paradise! It lies alongside the river,

between Lammas Land Car Park and the bottom of

Owlstone Rd and forms part of the green corridor

which stretches along the river Cam between the

city centre and the open countryside of the

Grantchester Meadows. Although quite small, it hosts a variety of

habitats. There is an area of wet woodland, with tall trees and dense

scrub and then a sizeable pond area with open grassland. A winding

pathway follows the line of the Cam along its western bank, the river

forming the boundary to the Conservation Area, while at the back of

the reserve, a boardwalk allows a circular walk.

This Local Nature Reserve is managed by Cambridge City Council

and it provides excellent habitats for a variety of plants, mosses and

liverworts, fungi, invertebrates, reptiles, birds and mammals. Trees

within the reserve include Willow, Alder, Ash, Horse Chestnut and

Hawthorn. Among the notable species is the plant Butterbur, which

was first recorded here over 400 years ago and whose huge leaves

were used in the past by the Paradise House dairy for wrapping

butter. Also here are rare Musk Beetles, a large long-horn beetle

which favours wet woodland tree species such as Willows to lay its

eggs. In spring, Mayflies (Ephemera vulgata) are abundant and

provide food for fish, birds and bats. Mammals recorded include

Muntjac deer, Common Shrew, Pygmy Shrew and Harvest Mouse.

Fishing along this stretch of river is popular and may sometimes

produce enormous Pike, as well as a variety of other fish.

Six species of Bat have been recorded here: Daubenton’s, Noctule,

Brown Long-eared, Serotine and both Common and Soprano

Pipistrelle Bats. Birds include Sparrowhawk, Tawny Owl, Mistle

Thrush, Tits, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Nuthatch,

Treecreeper, Wren and Sedge Warblers. Siskins are also seen

regularly on Alder in the winter. Whitethroat has been recorded as

nesting in the tall herb/rank grassland next to the car park. On nearby

Newnham Croft School’s Eco Group

Each month the children of Newnham Croft’s Eco group

send us an item for Seek. This is their contribution for

January.

Each year the RSPB organises a Big Garden Watch which encourages people across the country to look out for various species of birds they see in their garden.

This year it’s from the 26th - 28th January. Data are submitted via the website and get used to look at trends across the country and publicise their results. You can find out more from the website - https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/

9

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St Mark's Church Mission Statement

To be the people of God in this place and to work to make

God more real for our community.

Charity Lunches in Lent for Centre 33

A local Mental Health Charity for Young People

Last year we supported the Alzheimer's Society and had a terrific

response from you in Newnham.

This year in Lent we are focussing on the

younger generation and are supporting a

local mental health charity working with

young people throughout Cambridgeshire

and Peterborough. Centre 33, based at 33

Clarendon Street (hence its name), near Parker's Piece, was founded

in 1981 and so has 37 years of experience in running a free and

confidential service, which offers information and counselling

through drop-in centres in many secondary schools, working with

young people who are experiencing problems in, for example,

depression, personal relationships, family break-downs, peer

pressure or bullying. Whilst aimed primarily at young people from 13

to 25, it also has a Young Carers Group, which offers support to

carers as young as 8.

I am very grateful to those who have already agreed to

host one of the lunches to be held on the six

Wednesdays in Lent, starting on Ash Wednesday,

which falls on 6th March this year. Full details of dates

and venues will follow in the February issue of Seek.

Tina Wilson

10

Around and About

We have received news of two of our former Children’s workers.

It is good to hear that Clare Coates will be ordained on Sunday

30th June 2019 at 10.30 am at Ely Cathedral. She will then

serve her curacy at St Andrew's, Stapleford. We wish Clare,

Stephen and the rest of the family all the best as they look

ahead to this new chapter in their lives. Clare would be delighted

if people from St Mark's were able to be at her ordination, more

details in due course.

We said goodbye to Jannette, Jonathan and Julian Platter in

December. They are moving out to Shelford and will no longer

be worshipping at St Mark’s. We are really sorry to see them

leave us but wish them well in their lives ahead.

One Saturday in late November some of us found cake being

served outside the Co-op. Newnham Croft School were

celebrating. They wanted to thank those Co-op members who

had nominated NET (Newnham Education Trust) as their local

cause. This meant that 1% of their shopping had been donated

to NET by the Co-op and over the year this had totalled a

magnificent £2800!

The Co-op is mentioned again in the school’s

early December newsletter. Year 6 pupil

Isabel writes, “On Friday 30th November,

Year 6 prepared and performed a World War

II themed ‘Civic Restaurant’ for their parents.

It was a three course meal and included a

visit from the black market and bands playing

traditional war time songs. In total we raised £600.44!“ Mrs

Williams adds, “Particular thanks to the Co-op who donated the

drinks for the bar. We are very grateful for their support –

particularly the manager Simon”.

Jane Plows

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11

WI News

We decided that for the December meeting, with

Christmas approaching, we would like to see a DVD of

Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights. We

entered into Joanna’s journey in the north of Norway,

with beautiful scenery and rides on a sleigh drawn by

husky dogs. She enjoyed visiting local people with their

amazing herds of reindeer, a source of great pride to

them, and learning about their culture. The ice hotel was

magical and we learned that weddings take place there before the

snow and ice melts. In the end Joanna has her wish and sees a

spectacular display of the Northern Lights. It was a wonderful DVD.

The evening ended with a glass of wine and cake.

Members are reminded that the New Year Bring and Share Supper

will be on the 4th January and that friends will be welcome.

Pat Caesar

● ●

● ●

● ●

Prayers for the New Year

Learning to Walk by J. Bradley Wigger

O God of steadfast love,

trusting you, we devote our hearts to learning

and our lives to walking.

Teach us truth, that we may walk with courage.

Teach us mercy, that we may walk with humility.

Teach us forgiveness, that we may walk with compassion.

Teach us grace, that we may walk with strength.

Teach us wonder, that we may walk with praise.

Teach us goodness, that we may walk with those in need.

O God of steadfast love,

Learning from you, may we walk well.

Amen.

A prayer for the New Year

God, thank you for a new year. Thank you for the year that has passed

and all that was good. May everyone in our family be willing to start

again with a clean slate. We know that you are always ready to forgive

us. Help us to be willing to forgive ourselves and to forgive one another.

As we begin a new year, remind us of our truest values and our deepest

desires. Help us to put aside anxiety about the future and the past, so

that we might live in peace with you now, one day at a time. Amen

A prayer for Epiphany and remembering the visit of the Magi

Creator of the heavens,

who led the Magi by a star

to worship the Christ-child:

guide and sustain us,

that we may find our journey’s end

in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

An Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of His hand. Amen

Chosen by Rachel and Sam Rosborough

12

Seek is printed by

Chris and Barbara Wright

situated in St Neots

01480 474112 07836 717950 aerocrw@gmail.com

Regular Groups

Home Group with Bible Study : Alternate Mondays 10.30 am to 12 noon

Contact Sue Wagner

Bible Study at 3 Kings Road : Tuesdays at 7.30 pm

Contact Andrew and Angela Watts

Prayer Group at 10 Stukeley Close : Thursdays from 6.00 pm to 6.30 pm

Just turn up, or for more information, or to ask for prayer, contact Anne Howie

Friday Prayer Group at 10 Stukeley Close : Alternate Fridays at 11.00 am Contact Anne Howie

St Mark’s Choir meets on the 1st, 3rd and 5th (when applicable) Fridays of

the month from 6.00 pm to 7.15 pm in the Community Centre in term time.

Contact John Wyatt

Services at St Mark’s Church, Newnham

Services in January

Sundays

8.00 am

Holy Communion (1662)

10.00 am

6th January Parish Communion and Junior Church

13th January Parish Communion and Junior Church

20th January Parish Communion and Junior Church

27th January All Age Communion

There is a parent and child area in the Narthex for those with very young children at all the 10.00 am services. Refreshments follow the service and everyone is most welcome.

Evening Services

13th January at 8.00 pm Breathing Space

27th January at 6.30 pm Informal Service

On other Sundays, parishioners are invited to join the congregation at Trumpington Parish Church for BCP Evensong at 6.30 pm.

Regular Tuesday Services

Weekly: Holy Communion (1662) at 11.00 am followed by coffee

Monthly: Messy Church from 3.30 pm to 5.45 pm. Join us for

activities and worship for the whole family on

Tuesday 22nd January.

In addition to Messy Church, St Mark’s has a wide range of children’s

activities during term time, including Toddles, our toddler group, each

Monday and Thursday, Bumps to Babies on a Thursday morning and also

Friday Storytime every Friday.

Dates for your Diary

Wednesday 9th January at 12.30 pm Ploughman’s Lunch in the

Community Centre

Saturday 19th January at 7.30 pm St Mark’s New Year Revels p 11

Tuesday 22nd January at 3.30 pm Messy Church

Friday 25th January at 10.00 am Friday Talk in the Community Centre p 6

Sunday 27th January at 12.30 pm Community Lunch p 4

The February Issue of SEEK

Contributions are invited and are always welcomed. Please send them by Sunday 13th January to Jane Plows (01223 350120) at janemp@virginmedia.com or give them to any member of the committee.