THE LINK

The Parish Magazine for the parishes of

St Catherine and Holy Trinity Ventnor and St Boniface Bonchurch

APRIL 2020

2

Ventnor & Bonchurch Parish website address

www.ventnorcofe2.btck.co.uk Email: ventnorcofe@hotmail.co.uk

Churchwardens

St Catherine’s John Bagshawe and Adrian Pinnock

Holy Trinity Mark Bell and Jo Nicholson

St Boniface Philip Kennerly and George Westcott

The Ministry Team

Rev’d Canon Hugh Wright 01983 853729

Email: hugh.wright1957@btinternet.com

Gill Chaloner Reader 854659

Jenny Hopkins-Holder Reader 852575

Gill Smith Reader 856134

Nicola Pinnock Reader

Lay Pastoral Assistants

Mary Bell - Jo Nicholson

Sally Fitzgerald - Janet Kay

3

Dear Friends,

‘When it was evening on that day, the

first day of the week and the doors of

the house where the disciples met were

locked…Jesus came and stood among

them and said, ‘Peace be with you. AS

the Father has sent me, so I send

you’ (John 20:19)

This Easter will be the most unusual one of all of our lifetimes

except, perhaps, for those who remember the Second World

War. At the moment of writing I cannot say what the situation

will be, because things seem to change every day but it is pretty

certain that each of us will spend this Easter in very restricted

circumstances and mostly behind closed doors. This will be

done, not out fear of persecution, as was the case with Jesus’

disciples on the first Easter Day and is the case with many

persecuted Christians today, but out of fear of Coronavirus

which, at this point has claimed the lives of nearly 9000 people

worldwide and will, by Easter have sadly claimed many more.

Tragically this will mean we won’t be able to meet to celebrate

the greatest event in human history, namely the resurrection of

our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead after being hung on a cross.

We may feel we are living in historic times, and- as for me, born

in 1957, this is the closest to wartime I have ever known, with

its restrictions and Government directives, but the event that

truly changed history took place around Easter 33. Because of

this, we know that, whatever happens to us and our loved ones,

we and they will be safe in our Father’s arms.

4

Articles for the May Magazine should be sent

Ventnor FoodBank: Please continue to donate items and leave them in

the bin/baskets found in some of the supermarkets

www.isleofwight.foodbank.org.uk

We won’t be able to meet for worship but our churches have

been open, as much as possible, for people to find the peace

our Lord Jesus brought to his battered disciples and to find out

how we are ‘sent’ to serve as Jesus’ followers in this curious

situation. I have already been struck by how many people of all

beliefs are offering to help, including one person who has

offered to buy provisions for complete strangers without

immediate payment. We will have learned more and more

about this in the last weeks and more in the weeks to come.

This is heart-warming.

During these last few weeks, I and others have been working

hard to assure all in our congregations that they haven’t been

forgotten about and to provide spiritual sustenance in this time

of confinement. If you would like to get in touch, do not

hesitate to pick up the phone.

These are hard times we are going through but this too will

pass and we will soon be able to gather once again in church.

In the meantime, Jesus comes to us behind closed doors and

says to us ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I

send you.’

A Happy Easter to you all. Hugh

5

Stay connected; pray connected

Anyone who has served time at Her Majesty’s pleasure will know the

meaning and feeling of a lockdown. In prison “lockdown” means that every

prisoner is confined to their cell for an indefinite period while a situation is

calmed; a refractory prisoner is moved to another area; or a search for

contraband – illegal drugs, hooch (in-cell home-brewed alcohol), or mobile

phones is carried out.

Prisoners spend lengthy periods each day in a small space - in prison slang,

it is called “bang-up”. They are behind locked doors in a confined room in

which there is a bed, a toilet, a cupboard and a chair. They may have a TV,

or radio, possibly some books and magazines. They may or may not have a

cell-mate. If they do, there is no guarantee that they will get on.

Prisoners and their families experience lengthy periods, months, weeks, even years of separation, with only the occasional visit if they are lucky,

and phone calls when the regime permits. Prison puts immense pressure

on every person in a family and not every relationship survives.

What I discovered in my time as a prison chaplain, however, is the

extraordinary inventiveness and resilience of the human character. When

adversity strikes, we find ways to get through and to adapt. A prisoner and

his wife had found a way to maintain a meaningful connection despite the

distance between them and the limited face-to-face or verbal

communication they could have. They set aside a short period towards the

end of each day, after all the prisoners were locked in their cells, to

consciously think about each other. In this way they found a way to

cement their relationship, and their relationship stood the test of “time”

served.

Now it is not only prisoners who have to find a way of coping with

restrictions and loss of liberty. We are all facing loss, disruption and

confinement. So, we are having to be creative in the way we do things, and

change our habits. Being unable to meet up with family members who

don’t live with us, or to socialise with our friends is making us more aware

than ever of the importance of other people in our lives. We are created

relational and as the poet John Donne said:

No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the

Continent, a part of the main.

6

One of the aspects of our lives that has been curtailed, is our inability to

meet for prayer, as all places of worship have been closed as part of the

way of containing Covid-19. For some, of course, that will have little

impact or significance, but for many it will be a massive loss, and a threat

to their sense of belonging as well as believing. How can we stay

connected spiritually when those who share our beliefs are separated

from us?

This morning, at 9.15, a small group of us from our local churches “met”

together via WhatsApp to say Morning Prayer. This is one of the daily

services (called offices) set out by the Church of England. Some, like me,

are dinosaurs when it comes to technology, so perhaps this wasn’t the

most effective platform to use for this kind of thing, but we are going to

continue to experiment in other ways, until we get it right. (If there is

one positive for me about this situation, it is that I will have to improve my skills and confidence in social media!) However, this was a meaningful

and actually very moving way of maintaining community across the

enforced divide.

It made me consider – suppose we all set aside a time to consciously

think of one another, and pray for our world in its current crisis?

Suppose people of all faiths and all people of goodwill set aside a time

every day to think compassionately for others, using whatever form they

felt comfortable with, be that prayer, meditation, or silence. If we all

stopped whatever we are doing at 9.15 in the morning, or at 9.15 at

night, or both, and thought about those around the globe who are

suffering as a result of Covid-19, how powerful would that feeling of

connection be?

This virus is no respecter of creed, colour, class, or nationality. It cuts

through all that in other circumstances separates us, and unites us in

concern for our neighbour, whether they live next door, or in another

country, or in another continent. If we could connect in this way and

remain connected this would be a wonderful legacy for the whole of

humanity; some good coming out of a challenging situation.

I invite those of you who read this to join our virtual gathering in

Ventnor, Isle of Wight, at 9.15 tomorrow, and every morning. Let’s stay

connected by praying connected.

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Please like and post on our face book page

https://www.facebook.com/St-Catherines-CofE-Ventnor-

314020795635041/

Or Tweet us @StCathsVentnor

Sunday 29th March podcast. on the YouTube link below

https://youtu.be/bGl-zysfWPU

From Bishop Christopher For those who wish to join me and others across the diocese, I will be

leading a Holy Communion service from Bishopsgrove at 8am on

Sunday, which can be viewed on www.facebook.com/CofEPortsmouth

(and available during the day on the diocesan website at

www.portsmouth.anglican.org) and you are welcome to join me.

Volunteers

If anyone wishes to help in whatever small capacity or enquire how they

may help, they should contact the Community Action Ventnor

volunteer@actioniw.org.uk. Who will arrange a telephone call ‘checkout

’suitability and relevant checks.

Ventnor helpline and people standing by to take calls: (01983) 853775 or

857848 between 09:00 and 16:00

E-mail: help@ventnortowncouncil.org.uk

Ventnor Horticultural Society’s Summer

Show has been cancelled for this year

2020

8

Wednesday, 25 March 2020

Dear Friends,

I hope you’re bearing up in this current crisis caused by the Coronavirus

outbreak.

I thought I should update you on the situation regarding our churches. The

Archbishops and Bishops wrote to all churches on Mar 17th ordering us to

cease public worship. Yesterday we were contacted again with these stark

words:

‘We are seeing a huge increase in the number of people falling sick with

COVID-19. We must distance ourselves from one another and prevent the

spread of infection in order to save lives. Therefore, as well as public

worship being suspended, this and all church buildings in the

Church of England are now closed.

I cannot describe to you the feeling I felt as I pinned this to the door of one

of our churches. However, despite this sadness, I support this decision. We

must all play our part, in defeating this virus, even though it is not wide-

spread on the Island yet. I hope you aren’t finding the experience of being

isolated in your homes too painful. This is something we must do to slow

down the spread of the virus.

We are trying to find new ways of being church in these troubled times. I

hope that many of you received our first Podcast on Mothering Sunday, a

short service containing hymns, prayers and a short meditation. This will

continue each Sunday during this time. This podcast has been heard by a

growing number and I am very grateful to the team which produces it. In

addition the Bishop of Portsmouth plans to live stream a service of Holy

Communion from his chapel starting on Sunday. This will be on the Diocese

of Portsmouth’s Facebook page, so it might be good to join Facebook to

enable this. (You don’t have to contribute or become involved, just watch).

Each of our churches has dedicated people phoning round to see how

you’re getting on. I am grateful to them for this task, in which I am also in-

volved. I very much hope to speak to each one of you during this time, but

please do not hesitate to phone me as well, for yourselves or on behalf of

someone who is struggling.

9

April 3rd- Richard of Chichester - more clearly, dearly and nearly

Ever wonder where the prayer … ‘May I know thee more clearly, love thee more

dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day’ comes from?

Richard of Chichester, a bishop in the 13th century, wrote it.

He began life as Richard de Wych of Droitwich, the son of a yeoman farmer.

But Richard was a studious boy, and after helping his father on the farm for

several years, refused an advantageous offer of marriage, and instead made his

way to Oxford, and later to Paris and Bologna to study canon law.

In 1235 he returned to Oxford, and was soon appointed Chancellor, where he

supported Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, in his struggles against King

Henry III’s misuse of Church funds. After further study to become a priest,

Richard was in due course made a bishop himself. He was greatly loved. He

was charitable and accessible, both stern and merciful to sinners, extraordinarily

generous to those stricken by famine, and a brilliant legislator of his diocese. He

decreed that the sacraments were to be administered without payment, Mass

celebrated in dignified conditions, the clergy to be chaste, to practise residence,

and to wear clerical dress. The laity was obliged to attend Mass on Sundays and

holy days, and to know by heart the Hail Mary as well as the Lord’s Prayer and

the Creed.

Richard was also prominent in preaching the Crusade, which he saw as a call to

reopen the Holy Land to pilgrims, not as a political expedition. He died at Do-

ver on 3 April 1253. In art, Richard of Chichester is represented with a chalice

at his feet, in memory of his having once dropped the chalice at Mass! One an-

cient English church is dedicated to him.

And, of course, he is author of that famous prayer, now set to popular music,

which runs in full:

“Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ for all the benefits thou hast given me, for all

the pains and insults which thou hast borne for me. O most merciful redeemer, friend

and brother, may I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly and follow thee more

nearly, day by day.”

10

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From Tony McCarthy Ventnor Town Council

On behalf of Ventnor Town Council, I am writing to representatives of

local voluntary sector and community groups to seek their help in

creating a well organised and quick local response to the coronavirus

crisis.

In the first instance, we hope that people will check that your neighbours,

people you know and residents in your street are OK, particularly if they

are over 60 or have disabilities. Lots of people don't use social media and

would prefer help from a neighbour or someone they know and trust.

We are working closely with Community Action Isle of Wight and at

present are encouraging people who are able to volunteer via the

IWCoronavirusCommunityHelp Facebook Page https://

www.facebook.com/IWCoronavirusCommunityHelp/ or by contacting Community Action Volunteer Centre on 01983 524 058 or

e-mail on -https://www.communityactionisleofwight.org.uk/…/volunteer-

…/

We hope to produce an information leaflet soon to go out locally. There

will be lots of things for volunteers to do over the next few weeks as

more people self-isolate and more people need help. Please contact me

on 01982 857848 or by e-mail tony@ventnortowncouncil.org.uk

Worship at home Did you know that there is a daily service on Radio 4

at 9.45am (for DAB, search for DService), Also LW.

Also a Sunday service on R4 at 8.10 am

BBC Radio Solent will be broadcasting a

‘Virtual Service’ between 8 and 8.30am

Songs of Praise 1.15pm.

Premier Christian Radio also has worship daily at

12noon and 2.30.

12

Crossword Clues and Answers for April 2020

Across

1 Relating to the whole universe (6)

4 The disciple who made the remark in 8 Across (John 20:24) (6)

8 ‘Unless I see the nail marks — — hands, I will not believe it’ (John 20:25)

(2,3)

9 He urged King Jehoiakim not to burn the scroll containing Jeremiah’s

message

(Jeremiah 36:25) (7)

10 Baptist minister and controversial founder of America’s Moral Majority,

Jerry — (7)

11 ‘Look, here is — . Why shouldn’t I be baptized?’ (Acts 8:36) (5)

12 Repossessed (Genesis 14:16) (9)

17 Port from which Paul sailed on his last journey to Rome (Acts 27:3–4) (5)

19 ‘Moses was not aware that his face was — because he had spoken with

the Lord’ (Exodus 34:29) (7)

21 Roonwit, C.S. Lewis’s half-man, half-horse (7)

13

22 Grill (Luke 24:42) (5)

23 ‘The lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the — apostles’ (Acts 1:26) (6)

24 ‘I was sick and you looked after me, I was in — and you came to visit

me’ (Matthew 25:36) (6)

Down

1 Coastal rockfaces (Psalm 141:6) (6)

2 Academic (1 Corinthians 1:20) (7)

3 Publish (Daniel 6:26) (5)

5 For example, the Crusades (4,3)

6 11 Across is certainly this (5)

7 He reps (anag.) (6)

9 Liberator (Psalm 18:2) (9)

13 Man who asked the question in 11 Across was in charge of all her treasury

(Acts 8:27) (7)

14 They must be ‘worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine’ (1

Timothy 3:8) (7)

15 The human mind or soul (6)

16 ‘O Lord, while precious children starve, the tools of war increase; their

bread is — ’ (Graham Kendrick) (6)

18 ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not — ’ (Matthew 11:17) (5)

20 Bared (anag.) (5)

14

PP Holy Days

April - Maundy Thursday – time to wash feet

Maundy Thursday is famous for two things. The first is one of the final acts that

Jesus did before his death: the washing of his own disciples’ feet. (see John 13)

Jesus washed his disciples’ feet for a purpose: “A new command I give you:

Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

His disciples were to love through service, not domination, of one another.

In Latin, the opening phrase of this sentence is ‘mandatum novum do vobis’. The

word ‘mundy’ is thus a corruption of the Latin ‘mandatum’ (or command). The

ceremony of the ‘washing of the feet’ of members of the congregation came to

be an important part of the liturgy (regular worship) of the medieval church,

symbolising the humility of the clergy, in obedience to the example of Christ.

But Thursday was also important because it was on that night that Jesus first

introduced the Lord’s Supper, or what we nowadays call Holy Communion.

Jesus and his close friends had met in a secret upper room to share the Passover

meal together - for the last time. And there Jesus transformed the Passover into

the Lord’s Supper, saying, ‘this is my body’ and ‘this is my blood’ as he, the Lamb

of God, prepared to die for the sins of the whole world. John’s gospel makes it

clear that the Last Supper took place the evening BEFORE the regular Passover

meal, and that later Jesus died at the same time that the Passover lambs were

killed.

April - Palm Sunday: Jesus at the gates of Jerusalem

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, when the Church remembers how Jesus

arrived at the gates of Jerusalem just a few days before the Passover was due to

be held. He was the Messiah come to his own people in their capital city, and

yet he came in humility, riding on a young donkey, not in triumph, riding on a

war-horse.

As Jesus entered the city, the crowds gave him a rapturous welcome, throwing

palm fronds into his path. They knew his reputation as a healer, and welcomed

him. But sadly the welcome was short-lived and shallow, for Jerusalem would

soon reject her Messiah, and put him to death. On this day churches worldwide

will distribute little crosses made from palm fronds in memory of Jesus’ arrival in

Jerusalem.

Parish Pump

15

PP April 2020

The big surprise lurking in your Granny’s chicken soup

Granny always knew her chicken soup was good for you when you were

poorly, but she did not realise quite how good.

Now research has found that the traditional hot broths used in many

cultures to battle flu and fevers pack a bigger punch than even the cooks

realised.

A range of soups, ranging from vegetable to beef and chicken, were

discovered to have the power to interrupt the life cycle of Plasmodium

falciparum, which causes 99 per cent of deaths from malaria. Some of them

were actually as effective as a leading antimalarial drug, dihydroartemisinin,

in fighting malaria.

No one particular ingredient was found to be common to the broths, but there certainly seems to be “evidence that they contain antibiotic

properties”, according to one doctor. The study was carried out at the

Imperial College London and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

16

21 April - Easter morning: the ‘Other’ Mary

by Canon David Winter

As the traditional Easter story is rehearsed again this month, you may

notice that there is one name that frequently occurs. It is that of the ‘other’

Mary – not the mother of Jesus, but Mary of Magdalene, who stood by her

at the cross and became the first human being actually to meet the risen

Christ.

That’s quite a record for a woman who, the Gospels tell us, had been

delivered by Jesus from ‘seven devils’ – New Testament language for some

dark and horrible affliction of body, mind or spirit. As a result, her

devotion to Him was total and her grief at His death overwhelming.

In church history Mary Magdalene became the ‘fallen woman’ a harlot who

was rescued and forgiven by Jesus but there is no evidence to prove she was a ‘fallen woman’ but the contrast is sublime, Mary the virgin mother,

the symbol of purity. Mary Magdalene, the scarlet woman who was saved

and forgiven, the symbol of redemption. Surely, we all fall somewhere

between those two extremes.

The dark cloud from which she was delivered may have been sexual, we

are not told. What we do know is that the two Marys stood together at

the cross, the Blessed Virgin and the woman rescued from who knows

what darkness and despair.

The second great moment for her was as unexpected as it was momentous.

She had gone with other women to the tomb of Jesus and found it empty.

An angelic figure told them that Jesus was not there, He had risen – and the

others drifted off. But Mary stayed, reluctant to leave it like that. She

became aware of a man nearby, whom she took to be the gardener. She

explained to Him that the body of ‘her Lord’ had been taken away and she

didn’t know where to find Him.

The man simply said her name ‘Mary’ and she instantly realised it was Jesus.

She made to hug Him, but He told her not to touch Him because his

resurrection was not yet complete. She was, however, to go to the male

disciples and tell them she had met Him. She did – but they couldn’t believe

her.

Her words – ‘I have seen the Lord’ – echo down the centuries, the very

beating heart of the Christian gospel.

17

PP Holy Days April

3 April - Richard of Chichester - more clearly, dearly and nearly

Ever wonder where the prayer … ‘May I know thee more clearly, love thee

more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day’ comes from? Richard of

Chichester, a bishop in the 13th century, wrote it.

He began life as Richard de Wych of Droitwich, the son of a yeoman farmer.

But Richard was a studious boy, and after helping his father on the farm for

several years, refused an advantageous offer of marriage, and instead made

his way to Oxford, and later to Paris and Bologna to study canon law.

In 1235 he returned to Oxford, and was soon appointed Chancellor, where

he supported Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, in his struggles against

King Henry III’s misuse of Church funds. After further study to become a

priest, Richard was in due course made a bishop himself. He was greatly

loved. He was charitable and accessible, both stern and merciful to sinners,

extraordinarily generous to those stricken by famine, and a brilliant

legislator of his diocese. He decreed that the sacraments were to be

administered without payment, Mass celebrated in dignified conditions, the

clergy to be chaste, to practise residence, and to wear clerical dress. The

laity was obliged to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days, and to know by

heart the Hail Mary as well as the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed.

Richard was also prominent in preaching the Crusade, which he saw as a call

to reopen the Holy Land to pilgrims, not as a political expedition. He died at Dover on 3 April 1253. In art, Richard of Chichester is represented with

a chalice at his feet, in memory of his having once dropped the chalice at

Mass! One ancient English church is dedicated to him.

And, of course, he is author of that famous prayer, now set to popular

music, which runs in full:

“Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ for all the benefits thou hast given me,

for all the pains and insults which thou hast borne for me. O most merciful

redeemer, friend and brother, may I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly

and follow thee more nearly, day by day.”

18

Rainfall (mm): Date

Total amount 121.1

% of average 210

No. of dry days 6

Highest 16.9 12th

Temperatures (deg C):

Mean 8.2

Difference from average +2.2

Highest 12.5 8th

Lowest 1.8 26th

Coldest day 8.4 11th

Highlights: Storms Ciara (9th) and Dennis (16th). A very loud

clap of thunder in the early hours (4.44am) of the 13th.

Chris Watts

Month: February 2020 ACROSS: 1, Cosmic. 4, Thomas. 8, In his. 9, Delaiah. 10, Falwell.

11, Water. 12, Recovered. 17, Sidon. 19, Radiant. 21, Centaur.

22, Broil. 23, Eleven. 24, Prison.

DOWN: 1, Cliffs. 2, Scholar. 3, Issue. 5, Holy war. 6, Moist.

7, Sphere. 9, Deliverer. 13, Candace. 14, Deacons. 15, Psyche.

16, Stolen. 18, Dance. 20, Debar.

19

Intercession

Pray for your neighbours – lift them to the Lord!

Thank Him for all that they have done for you!

Claim for your friends the promise of His Word;

In intercession we find strength anew.

Ask of the Lord, and surely you’ll receive

Seek now His will, and surely you will find

Knock at His door, and truly we believe

In intercession we see God is kind.

Come to the Lord, for He is always there!

Our worries, cares, and our concerns we bring;

O waste no time, just come to Him in prayer In intercession we find God the King!

20

Dear Friends,

Here are the Bible Readings for April.

At present, our churches remain closed to Public

Worship.

I suggest that you use a time of private prayer, at home,

or via social media, to pray for the people who

WOULD have normally attended the Holy Week

Services and also those who would have come to any

other events that have had to be postponed, such as

Messy Church, Trinity Folk and the Bonchurch Coffee

Morning. Very best wishes, Gill

21

BIBLE READINGS FOR APRIL 2020

I suggest that you use these Readings

as a private meditation.

April 5th Palm Sunday

Liturgy of the Palms - St Matthew 21:1-11

Liturgy of the Passion

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Philippians 2:5-11

St Matthew 26:14-end of 27 (or the shorter ver-

sion)

April 12th Easter Day

Job 14:1-14

1 Peter 4:1-8

St Matthew 27:59-end OR St John 19:38-end

April 19th The Second Sunday of Easter

Acts 2:14a, 22-32

1 Peter 1:3-9

St John 20:19-end

April 26th The Third Sunday of Easter

Acts 2:14a, 36-41

1 Peter 1:17-23

St Luke 24:13-3

22

BEREAVEMENT GROUP….Can we help you?

We are aware that there are a number of

people who have been bereaved and might

like someone to talk to.

If this is YOU or someone you know, please contact any of

the Bereavement Group from St Catherine’s, Holy Trinity and

St Boniface, by telephoning 01983 853729 Anything you wish

to discuss will be treated with absolute confidentiality.

PRAYER CHAIN Many of you especially newcomers to the Church

may not know about THE PRAYER CHAIN which

has been going for a very long time.

It is made up with a prayerful group of people who

pass on confidential prayers one to another.

If anyone has a confidential or urgent prayer for

themselves or other people, whether members of the

Church or not, then they can ring me on 01983

731142 or email me on e.a.radcliffe@hotmail.co.uk

Ann Radcliffe

Please keep me up to date with any changes or

prayers having been answered so we can thank God”

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