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FROM THE EDITORS

VICAR: The Rev Stephen Bowen The Vicarage, Felbridge, West Sussex RH19 2QT Tel: 01342 321524 Fax: 0870 9156268 stjohnschurchoffice@gmail.com

Vicar’s day off: Thursday

ASSOCIATE MINISTER: Michael Peach 5 Burns Way, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 1SA Tel: 01342 312406 michaelstevenpeach@gmail.com

Michael’s day off: Friday

OCTOBER: Articles for this issue should be submitted by Sunday 11th September; publication date is 25th September.

Please e-mail articles to parishmagstjohns@gmail.com, put them in the editor’s pigeon hole at church, or post them to Lindsey Saunders, The Bungalow, Saint Hill Farm, Saint Hill Green, East Grinstead, RH19 4NG.

Cover photo:

Buzzing off to Wakehurst by David Legg

TWENTY YEARS ago one of us (GW) interviewed Jim Waters, CEO of an innovative US instrument firm. In its early days the company’s biggest problem was that it had too many ideas, invested in too many research projects and designed too many new products. Jim and his management team realised that they needed a different, focused approach.

His new motto was: “Diligently do not do what you’ve decided not to do”. It wasn’t a matter of just focusing on the key things, it also involved a deliberate and diligent effort not to do the things that they’d decided could be left until later or perhaps should not be done at all.

How often do we spend time doing things that aren’t really important? Do we plan our time effectively? Even with technology aids such as computers, personal organisers and smart phones, do we diligently do not do the things we’ve decided we shouldn’t do? Why not give it a try?

We know it’s the wrong time of year to make resolutions, but perhaps this is worth an exception.

Brenda and Gordon Wilkinson

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STEPHEN WRITES…

DEAR FRIENDS,

Some people love SatNavs and some people (unaccountably) seem to hate and despise them.

I am very fond of ours, and think it is terribly clever, although at times it can be infuriating.

Using a SatNav is a really good demonstration of faith.

You start by entering your intended destination into the machine. Do this with great care so that no doubts can arise later to unsettle you. As it begins to direct and guide you in strange and unexpected directions, it is vital that you do not begin to succumb to uncertainties about whether you put the right destination into it!

Because that is the essence of driving by SatNav. It has a pronounced tendency to lead you by ways you had never expected!

Does it really know what it is doing, you ask yourself? I’ve got a rough idea in my head of where I wanted to go — I was pretty sure I knew the route — and I just put the SatNav on to be certain. And now it is giving me the strangest instructions.

Is that really what it wants me to do? Turn down there? How can that be right? In fact, I think it is in the

opposite direction to where we ought to be going!

If I plan a route in my head to somewhere I haven’t been before, I will instinctively create the new route out of journeys I have done before and am familiar with.

The SatNav doesn’t. It takes me down novel highways, through places I have never heard of.

And at that point, what do you do? Do you trust it, or do you decide you know better and try to correct it?

God knows where he is taking us, and what the very best route is. It may be full of unexpected occurrences — but that is where trust is called for.

There is another thing about a SatNav. It is endlessly forgiving. If you have the temerity to disobey its instructions, it utters the word, “Recalculating”. However many times you disobey, it never loses its temper. It always has a way to take you from where you are now to your chosen destination.

Just like God — who never says, “You’ve messed things up — you’re on your own now!”

Faith in the SatNav

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Through the week at St. John’s

Sundays 8am Holy Communion on 11th & 25th September

10am Morning Service

6pm Evening Service

Tuesdays

1.30pm WI first Tuesday of the month in the Village Hall

Wednesdays

2pm Watercolour on Wednesdays in the Church Hall

Thursdays

10.30am WIGS at the Old Pheasantry, Woodcock Hill

(home of June Clark)

7—8.30pm Jaffa Plus in the Church Hall on 8th September

Saturdays

8am—9am Prayer breakfast on 3rd September in the Church Hall

8.30—10am Men’s breakfast on 17th September at Langleys, West Lane

REGULAR EVENTS

Come along to the Church Hall on Saturday 17th September between 10am and 4pm and get involved in workshops on needlework crafts, making table decorations, jewellery, greeting cards and baskets of toiletries. These items will be on sale at the Christmas Fair on Saturday 26th November in the Church Hall from 10am to 12pm.

If you have baskets, toiletries, small baked bean tins, candles for table decorations or buttons suitable for necklaces, please leave them at the back of church by Sunday 10th September.

Through the week at St. John’s

Sundays 8am Holy Communion on 11th & 25th September

10am Morning Service

6pm Evening Service

Tuesdays

1.30pm WI first Tuesday of the month in the Village Hall

Wednesdays

2pm Watercolour on Wednesdays in the Church Hall

Thursdays

10.30am WIGS at the Old Pheasantry, Woodcock Hill

(home of June Clark)

7—8.30pm Jaffa Plus in the Church Hall on 8th September

Saturdays

8am—9am Prayer breakfast on 3rd September in the Church Hall

8.30—10am Men’s breakfast on 17th September at Langleys, West Lane

CRAFTS FOR CHRISTMAS

Sat. 17th Sept., Church Hall, 10 ’til 4

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

Sunday Services in September

4th September 10am Family Service with Stephen Bowen 6pm Holy Communion with Stephen Bowen

11th September 8am Holy Communion with Stephen Bowen 10am Morning Service with Michael Peach 6pm Evening Service with Stephen Bowen

18th September 10am Holy Communion Service with Michael Peach 6pm Raise the Roof with Kevin Defriend

25th September 8am Holy Communion with Jack Baker 10am Morning Service with Stephen Bowen 6pm Evening Service with Don Ely

THE WORSHIP SERVICE Raise the Roof is a fun, action-packed service, presenting Jesus’ message through music, dance and drama. The next service is on:

Sunday 18th September Rehearsal 4.15pm Scrummy tea 5.30pm Service 6-6.40pm

If you’d like to join in playing an instrument, acting, dancing or singing - young or old, beginner or pro - contact Kris Defriend on 01342 312788 or at k.defriend@sky.com.

Concert at St. John’s Church, Dormansland 7.45pm, Friday 30th September

Admission FREE, with a retiring collection. Choral scholars from Trinity College Cambridge will be performing a mixture of choral music to jazz close harmony. All the singers are from The Choir of Trinity College, which was recently voted 5th Best Choir in the World by Gramophone magazine.

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WHAT a challenging year it has been for gardeners. The weather has gone from one extreme to another, which has meant winners and losers. My garden notes tell of Nicotiana eaten by slugs, and Solomon’s Seal eaten by the saw fly, but the perennial sweet peas and day lilies were winners and the bees were happily swarming over the Sidalceas.

The productivity of the vegetable plot was poor, probably because of its situation, but the tomatoes in the greenhouse were excellent and we picked over three pounds of blueberries from two plants. The new dahlias gave a great show, but next year I must separate the colours because the beautiful magenta clashed with the orange.

High summer is when everything starts to get out of control so September is a good month to calm it all down again by tidying or removing spent plants, pruning shrubs and raking and sweeping. There is lots of colour and good things still to come, but it will all begin to look more manageable.

Although over the years we have enjoyed making our garden, we do

like change and new projects. This summer, on a sudden impulse, we had our very large variegated holly tree removed and are delighted with the more open outlook this achieved. We have planted up the area with small shrubs – acers, azaleas, a camellia, a small rhododendron and a Magnolia stellata – which are all very easy to maintain.

September is the month for lifting and splitting overcrowded plants and is the optimum time to buy spring bulbs and plant container-grown clematis. If you grow dahlias from seed, collect the seeds now and dry them and store in a cool place. It is good too to harden off rooted cuttings of pinks. At the end of the month, during a spell of showery weather, you can plant evergreen shrubs. This is the ideal time to collect all kinds of seeds. Scatter some of the cottage garden plant seeds and also save some for the spring. Although I want to plant the dahlias with more care next year generally I like plants to seed themselves wherever they may fall.

It’s time to harvest the last of the beans and sweetcorn and dry off onions and shallots. The eating and cooking apples are prolific this year although the eating apples are small. But the best crop for us is the Victoria plum. I wonder if my freezer is big enough!

Maureen Reynolds

IN THE GARDEN

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Felbridge and District Horticultural Society

We enjoyed a very happy communal lunch at Ann Dean’s in July - too much food as always, but delicious! The Late Summer Show was held on Saturday 20th August - more about this in the October magazine.

New members are always welcome – even if you don’t have a garden! We meet on the third Thursday of every month at 8.15pm in the Felbridge Village Hall and on 15th September we will have a talk from a Head Gardener from London Zoo.

Parish Matters

It is sad to report that three dead ducks were found by the side of Hedgecourt Lake. If anyone sees someone with a gun - possibly an air gun - please contact Ken Harwood on 300958. Please take down the index number of any cars without, of course, putting yourself at any risk.

The village hall and land is held in trust. When the current lease was up for renewal the Village Hall Committee faced a massive increase in land rent. Ken investigated the origins of the hall and land and gave his findings to Tandridge Council. As a result, the land rent was drastically reduced. It is intended to print this history as a book for future reference if needed.

Interest has been shown in a parcel of land in Mill Lane, which is within the Green Belt, and there are some circumstances which override Green Belt conditions. If you receive a survey asking whether we need more social housing in the village, please respond - either for or against - so that the results reflect your view.

Felbridge W.I.

We met in St. John’s Church Hall in August as electrical work was taking place in the Felbridge Village Hall. Miss Julie found us and as it was one of the hottest days of the year she put us through some gentle exercises to quieter, slower music, which we all appreciated and enjoyed.

We have adopted a hive again this year to support the Beekeepers Association.

The Old Barn Nurseries outing was a great success and Chris Tweed has some lovely photos of the occasion.

Our new Committee and President will be elected in October - we hope that some new members will agree to be nominated.

We meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 1.30pm in Felbridge Village Hall. Our speaker in September will be Mr. Robert a Scotland Yard Detective. For further details , telephone 01342 322302.

Daphne Ayerst

VILLAGE MATTERS

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CHURCH NEWS

SMILE LINES

Gabriella Cicala is joining the church family here at St John’s to work alongside us as a volunteer Ministry Apprentice for a year. Here Gaby introduces herself:

Hello to all of you at Felbridge!

My name is Gabriella Cicala and I will be joining you and working with you at St John's from September 2011.

Let me briefly introduce myself to you. I'm originally Italian, although half Brazilian on my mother’s side. I come from a small village in Italy called Montegiorgio, not very far from Ancona the capital city of the region, located on the Adriatic cost.

I grew up in a multicultural family, having a Brazilian mother who lived and studied in the United States and an Italian father, so I've been exposed to three different cultures since I was very little. In my family I am the oldest daughter of four children. I get along very well with my brothers and my sister, and I love my family very much.

I graduated in Italian literature from Ferrara University and worked in Italy for a year before moving to the UK in 2009.

What led me to England was the opportunity offered to me through a friend to deepen my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ through serving in a local church in Park Street, St Albans. Working at Holy Trinity has been a very fruitful and most valuable experience for me, both in terms of forging my spiritual life and gaining practical skills in Christian service. I very much enjoy working with the Church and I pray I will be the servant God wants me to be at St John's. I'm really looking forward to meeting you all!

With love in Christ, Gabriella

There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family Bible to her brother in another part of the country.

“Is there anything breakable in here?” asked the postal clerk.

“Only the Ten Commandments” answered the lady.

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FELBRIDGE WILDLIFE

SEPTEMBER could be a time of fruit and nuts and funny fungi, on the basis of the warm wet weather and the precocity of this year's seasons. Change and decay are upon us, but should produce a good crop of mushrooms and blackberries

At Hedgecourt Lake the yellow monkey flower, mimulus, graces the boggy bits and the pink and white helmets of Himalayan balsam line the banks of the sluggish stream.

The six spot burnet is one of the most readily identifiable of the day-flying moths, often clustering on the heads of knapweed and scabious where they occur. The front wings are a deep metallic green with large red spots and its larvae feed on trefoil in Autumn. A grey dagger I saw before me last month in its spectacularly hairy larval form, feeding on our birch tree and threatening our plum.

Whatever one's view of foxes, or the advisability of shooting badgers, it always brings me delight to watch them emerge at dusk from den or sett. I'm sure those four fox cubs had donned black socks before venturing out to where we waited.

Looking up as we should, surely

Watching up and around

no watcher of the skies could have missed the awesome clouds apparently lit from within on the evenings of July 23rd and 24th between 21:15 and 21:45. We are used to the crimson wings of evening in the West, but these noctilucent clouds moved overhead from North to South - the nearest weather pattern I have seen to the glory of the Lord over Felbridge - so far.

The arrival at Wakehurst of a wild bee orchid had to be seen. Not one, but a veritable swarm of a hundred bee orchids developed from one tipped out with some bark chips - a reminder not to despise an unexpected opportunity to introduce something wonderful. Like the gospel - spread it around.

Peter Bateman

Noctilucent clouds occur 50 miles high at the edge of space. They form when tiny ice crystals nucleate around microscopic meteoroids and other aerosols. When the crystals catch the rays of the setting sun, they glow silver- blue — The Editors.

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THOSE of you who came to the World Mission Gift Day in July will agree that it was a very challenging and worthwhile day. We are very grateful to Imtiaz Ashraf and Sohail Johnson for telling us about their work with Release International in Pakistan at the morning service and at the well-attended lunch.

At our evening service, we also appreciated hearing from Phil and Rosemary Tadman about the development of Siwok Crafts in South America.

It is so inspiring to hear how God is at work in other countries and situations and a real challenge to us to pray for our Christian brothers and sisters who are being persecuted for their faith.

We have received £10,300 from the Gift Day so far, which is a very encouraging total considering the present financial constraints — although less than in previous years. We were able to make one-off gifts to Release International and Siwok Crafts, and the remainder of the money will be divided between the nine mission partners/charities which we support.

Thank you, too, to everyone who responded to the appeal for Natasha's team visit to Russia this summer, which raised £200.

MISSION GIFT DAY

Sadly, the trip has had to be postponed for various reasons —

possibly until next year. However, Natasha was very grateful that we supported her in this way. The sum raised will be added to the Mission Gift Day total as part of Natasha's allocation — so it will be put to good use.

We have received a plea from Welcare, one of our local charities, for donations of foodstuffs which they can pass on to some of the very needy families that they care for. If you are able to help in this way, please leave gifts of non-perishable items at the back of church and we will pass them on.

In view of this need, we have decided to make Welcare the beneficiary from our Harvest service this year.

Please continue to pray for our mission partners, as well as for the work of Release and Siwok Crafts, as we give thanks for all that God has given us.

Anne Butler

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HOME GROUPS

We have eight home groups planned, please sign up for one:

*TBC** Monday 1:15- 2:30pm with Crèche Leader: Lizzy Peach Host/Location: Lizzy Peach (5 Burns Way) No maximum

Monday 8pm Leader: Daphne Ayerst Host/Location: Brenda Dance (9 Parkside) Maximum 9

Tuesday 8pm Leader: Lis Woolley Host/Location: Lis Woolley (58 Alders View Drive) Maximum 6

Tuesday 8pm Leaders: Andy & Joan Brown, Joan Bateman Hosts/Location: Andy & Joan Brown (Langleys, West Lane) / Batemans (Poynings, The Limes) No maximum

Wednesday 10:15am - 12 noon Leader: Ann Morley Host/Location: Anne Halsall (Old Pheasantry Cottage, Woodcock Hill) Maximum 8

Wednesday 8pm Leaders: Michael & Lizzy Peach Hosts/Location: Michael & Lizzy Peach (5 Burns Way) No maximum

Wednesday 8pm Leaders: Chris & Lindsey Saunders Hosts/Location: Chris & Lindsey Saunders (The Bungalow, Saint Hill Farm) No Maximum

**TBC** Thursday 8pm Leaders: Phil & Rosemary Tadman Hosts/Location: Phil and Rosemary Tadman (Ferndale, Cranston Road) No Maximum

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CURRENT ISSUES: EAST AFRICA

British aid reaches drought-stricken region

OVERSHADOWED by the bad news of riots in our major cities in August was the encouraging news that planes and trucks carrying crucial British-backed aid had arrived in some of the most drought-stricken regions in the Horn of Africa.

The aid is in response to the drought which has led to more than 12 million people needing emergency relief. Today, Britain is providing lifesaving aid for over two million people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

In Ethiopia, food aid is being provided for 1.36 million people facing starvation, plus shelter, water and medical help for 100,000 people in the Dolo Ado refugee camps. In Somalia, Britain is helping 500,000 people with food rations, treatment for malnourished children and farming supplies to help people grow their own food. In Kenya, we are treating 300,000 malnourished children and mothers and supporting 130,000 refugees in the Dadaab refugee camp with safe water, food and basic healthcare.

Stories of how aid is transforming lives give us encouragement that our government is doing the right thing and that the money we donate to Christian charities is used wisely.

On 15th August, Tearfund reported on a visit to communities in northern

Kenya. The last time 66-year-old Guyo Galgallo remembers it raining was four months ago. ‘We had drizzle,’ recalls Guyo, who lives in a community called Halkano Gora, which is facing one of the worst droughts in living memory.

Poor rains have led to failed harvests and huge livestock losses which in turn have left 3.2 million Kenyans on the brink of starvation.

Guyo and his seven strong family survive on one meal of maize a day. Guyo said: “The drought now is much worse than at other times. We lack pasture and water. Our water sources are drying up, we have no animals to sell and food prices have shot up.” His family is clinging on by selling charcoal, but with less money his children can’t attend school because they can’t pay the fees.

Tearfund partner Christian Community Services of Mount Kenya East is helping Guyo’s com-munity by sending water tankers so people and their livestock can be sustained until the rains come.

Guyo wants to be independent. “I’m praying the rains will return so I’ll be able to farm again and produce suffi-cient food once more,” he says. “Then I will be able to continue educating my children.”

Gordon Wilkinson

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EULOGY TO JOHN STOTT

JOHN STOTT died in his retirement home at St. Barnabas College at 3.15pm on Wednesday 27th July. He was surrounded by a few good friends. They were reading the Scriptures and listening to Handel’s Messiah when he peacefully went to be with his Lord and Saviour.

Some of us had come to know and love him through his links with St John’s in his final years and we will miss him.

It was a great privilege to care, in a small pastoral way, for someone who has contributed so much to the work of God’s kingdom in Britain, world-wide and to many of us personally.

He was, of course, Rector of All Souls, Langham Place and his ministry radiated out from All Souls. However, John Stott’s ministry extended well beyond the bounds of All Souls and his leadership was valued and experienced, not just in London, but nationally and internationally. His preaching drew many to Christ and kept many on track in their Christian thinking and living. His books did the same for millions more and equipped pastors and laypeople on every continent to become bible teachers them-selves. Countless people have been more than grateful for the insights of his commentaries or the clarity of thought with which he tackled some thorny issue in a book that forced us and helped us to engage Christianity with the real world.

He showed himself willing to challenge some of the ways in which faith had become conventional or inward-looking. Many have said that he helped to change the face of evangelicalism internationally, arguing for the necessity of ‘holistic’ mission that applied the Gospel of Jesus to every area of life, including social and political questions.

He will be remembered most warmly as an expositor of scripture and a teacher of practical Christian living.

Many have benefited from his 50 books, commentaries, Bible studies and daily readings. He wrote his last book, The Radical Disciple, whilst at The College of St Barnabas and The Living Church was published just as he joined us at St John’s.

John’s farewell address at Keswick 2008 (http://wn.com/John_Stott or in The Living Church) sums up all that he had been learning and striving to teach all his ministry and this particular address was a real inspiration to some of us at that time in the life of the church here.

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He began so many of his sermons with the words: “We pray that … Your written word of Scripture may now and always be our rule, Your Holy Spirit our Teacher and Your greater glory our supreme concern, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Stephen often uses this same prayer at St John’s and it is a very fitting prayer to use, following in the footsteps of a much loved and respected follower of Christ.

It was an amazing privilege that he came to join us here at St John’s - the first service he attended was on July 8th 2007 and through the kindness of those who went to pick him up, he attended regularly until the end of January 2009. At that point his health made it impossible for him to come, although he still regarded himself as a member of St John’s – a ‘remote’ one, he once told Stephen. For him it was a matter of personal conviction to belong to a local church. Stephen had the privilege of visiting him regu-larly, and recently - with members of our church and with the permission of the Warden of St Barnabas - of sharing in Holy Communion with him in his room. So our claim is that St John’s Felbridge was the only church apart from All Souls, Langham Place to which John Stott ever belonged!

We thank God for him and all He achieved through him; we rejoice that he is now in glory and that we will meet again one day.

Mandy Bowen

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SERMON SERIES

Work: Is God interested in Monday mornings?

WHICH of the following jobs is best for a Christian: lawyer, shop assistant, doctor, full time mum, teacher, vicar, estate agent, banker, gardener, missionary, factory worker, nurse or voluntary worker? These are all good jobs for Christians, and hopefully Christians are doing these and hundreds of other jobs too.

Sometimes it is easy to think that being a Christian has a lot to do with what happens from 10am to 11am on a Sunday morning, but very little to do with what I do at work on a Tuesday afternoon. However, that’s just not true! God created work, and being workers (whether paid or unpaid, at home, or at the factory, shop or office) is part of our identity as created beings under God.

As a church family we want to be better at helping one another to live for Christ in all parts of our lives, and as part of this we are having a sermon mini-series on work in our September morning services. We will think about work as God created it and how it was affected by the Fall when people rebelled against God, and then how we should work now as Christians. We’ll be considering how the Bible’s teaching applies to everyone, whether you do paid work, unpaid work, work in the home, or a mixture of these!

As part of our support for one another, we have already started a monthly slot in our morning services called this time tomorrow. On the fourth Sunday of the month a member of the congregation tells us about what they will be doing on a Monday morning, and how we can pray for them.

In our evening services we’ll be looking at the book of Daniel. In the first few weeks we’ll see how Daniel and his friends live and work in an environment where there is little knowledge of the true God, and where living as a believer is difficult. This book has a lot to say to us as we live in our society today.

If we acknowledge that Jesus is Lord that means he is Lord of every part of our lives, and hopefully over the next month we’ll help one another think what that means for us as workers.

Michael Peach

Somebody has said there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, “Good morning, Lord” and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, “Good Lord, it’s morning”.

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MISSION

The Church Mission Society and St John’s

Barbara Cottier, or download a pdf from the CMS website by contacting jonathan.self@cms-uk.org or by telephoning 01865 787527.

A proportion of the money raised during the Mission weekend will go to CMS to support the Laceys and to help the Leakes empower indigenous people of the Salta to secure ownership of their traditional lands.

A small group of CMS supporters meets on the third Friday each month in Ebbisham Court, Whittington College to pray. New folk are always welcome to join us.

Why not sign up to receive Prayer Space, a weekly email, which gives details of current prayer needs, so that you can support CMS in prayer.

Barbara Cottier

It’s a Knockout! Fun and laughter – all for charity!

10th of September at Leatherhead Leisure Centre To participate, contact Jessica Paine: 07966028863 or fundraising@crossroadscaresurrey.org.uk.

Family and company teams of 6 to 10 members (age 16 or over) are invited to participate. Based upon the TV show of the same name, the day will be filled with fun activities, giant inflatables, water and foam.

Crossroads Care Surrey is a local charity providing home-based short breaks for unpaid carers who look after a family member, relative or friend with significant care needs due to old age, disability or illness. For more information: www.crossroadscaresurrey.org.uk/fundraising

CMS is working in 37 countries worldwide, but St. John’s has links with Andrew and Maria Leake in Salta in northern Argentina and Allan and Anne Lacey in Uganda.

The Laceys have just returned to the West Nile District of Uganda and are settling back into life there. They have moved to a modern house in the town of Arua. This is the District Headquarters, a rapidly growing town on one of the routes into newly- independent South Sudan. It is a busy hub for trade, the movement of NGOs in and out of Sudan and across the nearby western border to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Laceys have just sent their first Link letter since their return and it is full of interesting news, pictures and prayer topics. To see a copy, ask

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SPECIAL EVENT

Open Church Sunday – 25th September at 10am

Do you have a friend, neighbour or colleague who you could invite along to church? Do you know someone who used to go to church in the past, or someone who might be interested in giving church a try?

Well Open Church Sunday is an opportunity to invite them along to St John’s.

The service at 10am on 25th September will be similar to one of our usual services, but designed with the visitor particularly in mind. There will be no gimmicks or embarrassing features, and visitors are very welcome just to come and watch if they prefer. The service will include some well known and

liked older hymns along with a couple of the best newer ones. There will be a Bible talk, prayers and the opportunity to hear from one member of the church family about how being a Christian affects their life at work.

For children and young people there will be a special Youth Church in the Hall during the service. These events are always fun as different ages hear from God’s word, sing and do all sorts of interesting activities together.

The service will be finished by 11am and will be followed by the opportunity to meet others over tea, coffee and cake. Please do come along and remember to invite your friends!

A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city because he was short of time and couldn’t find a space with a meter.

Then he put a note under the windshield wiper that read: “I have been around the block ten times. If I don't park here, I’ll miss my appointment. Forgive us our trespasses.”

On his return, he found a parking ticket from a traffic warden with this note “I’ve patrolled this area for ten years. If I don't give you a ticket I’ll lose my job. Lead us not into temptation.”

SMILE LINES

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CURRENT ISSUES: HACKING

How safe is your password?

THE SCANDAL of phone hacking made me wonder how easy it would be to guess the passwords we use on a computer or smart phone.

According to The Independent on 20th July, “we are spectacularly unimaginative in our choice of passwords”. Security expert Mark Burnett says that 98.8 per cent of us share the same 10,000 passwords.

Some of you reading this article will look at this list of common computer passwords and recognise their own: ‘password’, ‘123456’, ‘12345678’, ‘qwerty’ and ‘1234’. Popular ones for a smart phone are: ‘1234’, ‘0000’, ‘2580’, ‘1111’ and ‘5555’.

Burnett, author of Perfect Password, says that the common advice we’re given, particularly to mix letters and numbers, as ‘pass123’ does, just isn’t enough. He emphasises, “we should be concentrating on making them longer”. If your password has15 characters or more then it no longer matters how random it is.

The reason is to do with how pass-words are compromised. One way is for someone to ask you what it is, perhaps by a scam email that claims to be from your bank. The second approach is to guess — remember, 99% of us share the same 10,000 passwords. Thirdly, with a fast computer and the right software, an

eight character password can be solved in a couple of hours. Extend that to 12 characters and it would take centuries to work out.

So, wherever possible, the answer is to choose a password longer than 12 characters; if you are free to choose whatever you like, go for 15.

An easy way to come up with a long password is to choose the initial letters of a memorable two-sentence phrase, such as iatwattatlnocttfetm — “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. You can add memorable numbers between the sentences—iatwattatl146nocttfetm—then finish it off with a symbol or two, “iatwattatl146nocttfetm”. Start typing this into Microsoft’s password checker to see what I mean: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/pc-security/password-checker.aspx.

Microsoft advises against using dictionary words in any language; words spelled backwards, common misspellings and abbreviations; sequences of repeated characters or adjacent letters on your keyboard; or personal information such as name, birthday, passport number etc. As a first step, just make your password much longer… and don’t, for any reason, disclose it to anyone.

Gordon Wilkinson

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Funeral John Robert Walmsley Stott died 27th July 2011 aged 90. His funeral took place at All Souls Church, Langham Place on 8th August 2011.

CHURCH REGISTER

CHURCH FAMILY NEWS

Thomas Grimwood has had his operation and is back from the USA walking on flat feet; he can go up and down steps, ride a trike and kick a ball ... more than was expected in such a short time. He has lots more physiotherapy work ahead, but he’s a really hard worker and fairly unstoppable! His older brother James has been a great encouragement, especially with football.

Iris and Alex Combley have moved. For details, contact the Church Office on 01342 321524. They have donated some crockery to the church kitchen, for which we thank them. We wish them happiness in their new home.

WELCARE, one of the local charities we support, is appealing for supplies of tinned and packet foodstuffs to meet an unprecedented need. If you would like to donate something, please leave it at the back of church or contact Rona Bingham.

Some of you will remember Enid and Bob Lenton who lived at the College of St. Barnabas and were active members of St. John’s. Bob, a retired vicar, helped in the parish extensively for several years. He died some time ago and now Enid has gone to be with the Lord. There was a funeral in June and a thanksgiving service in early July near to where she had been living. In August, her ashes were interred with Bob’s in the churchyard here at St John’s. THANKS to Brian Starr and David Miller for upgrading the gents/disabled toilet; to Diane, Malcolm and Sarah Francis for spending some of their holiday weeding around the hall and car park and power spraying the steps; and to Peter Burton and Harold Thomas for repairing the wooden fence of the car park. As always, we are grateful to many others in our church family who do ‘hidden’ yet much appreciated jobs for us. CONGRATULATIONS to Brian and Janet Starr who celebrated their golden wedding in July; to Sarah Francis and Louise Russell on obtaining 2:1 degrees; and to David and Carole Miller who are grandparents again with the birth of Chloe Mai on 22nd July, the first child of their daughter Alison.

PEST CONTROL SERVICESWasps, flies, fleas. All types of rodents and vermin 01342 321373

GARDEN SERVICESRon West 01342 712586

KOINONIA COUNSELLINGMarriage problems, bereavement, depression, eating disorders etcJackie Lake 01342 718948

TV SALES, SERVICE & INSTALLATIONSPanasonic Specialists. Plasma, LCD, Multiroom Systems, Aerial & Satellite.Scott Brothers, 178 London Road, East Grinstead. 01342 321117

CLARINET LESSONSClassical or Jazz, for pleasure or exam preparationElaine Short CT ABRSM 01342 327563

GARAGE & CAR REPAIRS, MOTs & COACHES

Woodcock Hill Service Station, London Road, Felbridge01342 32554401342 326213

BUTCHERARTHUR FRY, Lingfield Road, East Grinstead 01342 323225

CHIMNEY SWEEPMILBORROW CHIMNEY SWEEPS, ‘The Flueologists’All Flues and Appliances Swept and Serviced. Pots, Cowls,Caps, Birdguards, Fireplace Repairs, Stacks Repointed 01342 717900

FUNERAL DIRECTORSR MEDHURST, Vine House, HartfieldCaring family firm; home visits; 24 hour service.Memorials arranged: Golden Charter pre-paid Funeral Plans

01892 77025301342 315880

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USEFUL CONTACTS

Churchwardens: Anne Butler 01342 313640 e-mail: butleranne09@gmail.com

Andy Brown 01342 314267 e-mail: brownemail@aol.com

Treasurer: Chris Saunders 01342 325662 e-mail: treasurerstjohns@gmail.com

PCC Secretary: Sheila Drury 01342 323865 e-mail: sheila.drury1@hotmail.co.uk

Magazine Editor: Lindsey Saunders 01342 325662 e-mail: parishmagstjohns@gmail.com

Cleaning Rota: Carole Grainger 01342 325482

Ministry of Flowers: Ann Morley 01342 714645 e-mail: annmorley@aol.com

Church Hall Bookings: Sally Hobbs 01342 410929 e-mail: hobbsfamilysja@gmail.com

Church Office (closed on Thursdays) 01342 321524

Village Hall Bookings: Lynda Railton 01342 322205

CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE ACTIVITIES

Climbers (3-6 yrs): Michael Peach 01342 312406 e-mail: michaelstevenpeach@gmail.com

Explorers (Year 2-4): Diane Francis 01342 714575 e-mail: diane_francis@tiscali.co.uk

Light Eagles (Year 5-7): Dan and Suzy Callaway 01342 321658 e-mail: daniel.callaway@iname.com

NG (Year 8-9): Michael Peach 01342 312406 e-mail: michaelstevenpeach@gmail.com

Parish Safeguarding Officer Chris Ely 01342 311614 e-mail: christineely2@msn.com

Rainbows, Brownies & Guides Ann Tucker 01342 317283 e-mail: ann_tucker@btinternet.com

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