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The Parishes of May 2020 Uppingham-with-Ayston

Belton-with-Wardley

QUARTET

VE DAY ANNIVERSARY

Friday 8 May

Richard Cole writes of times past and present on pages 7-8

£1

Benefice Ministry Team

Rector Revd Canon Rachel Watts The Rectory, 45 Lime Tree Avenue Uppingham LE15 9SS 829956

Self-Supporting Priest, Licensed to Rutland Deanery Revd Dr Roy Seden 21 Stockerston Road 822683 Honorary Assistant Priests Revd Dr Peter Holmes 14 Bayley Close 821834 Revd Canon John Rankin 822180 Uppingham School Chaplain Revd Dr James Saunders Pentire House, High Street West

829934 Readers Mrs Jill Cannings Crossways, Ayston Road 821870 Mrs Sonja Lennon 5 Stockerston Crescent 822452 Mr Anthony Morse 8a Station Road 821508 Mrs Christobel Price Church Lane Bisbrooke 823201 Lay Pastoral Ministers Mrs Shirley Harris 49 Stockerston Crescent 822428 Mrs Eileen Hill 25 North Street West 822271 Mothers’ Union Mrs Janet Wardle 829923

All telephone dialing codes are 01572 unless shown otherwise.

For Churchwardens and other contacts, please see the list on the back cover.

Please contact the Rector to arrange baptisms, wedding, or funerals.

To receive Communion at home please contact a member of the ministry team. Confession, spiritual direction and the ministry of healing are offered by the clergy by appointment.

Ascension Day is Thursday 21 May

Pentecost is Sunday 31 May

Services in Uppingham: May 2020

At the time of going to press,

public church services have been suspended

But please join us each Sunday for parish worship online

(check the website for details)

Quartet in 2020

Quartet costs £1.00 per month – but take an annual subscription and all 12 copies will cost you just £10.00.

Publishing dates: Next edition (June)

Copy to editors by Wednesday 27th May email to john.wardle@btinternet.com

Available by Saturday 30th May

The Rector’s letter

The Rectory

29 April 2020 45 Lime Tree Avenue

Dear friends,

I can’t believe that I am writing another letter for Quartet in these strange

days in which we live. Last time I wrote for the magazine things were very

new, and we were trying to see ways through the new way of life we were

living. We are now 6 weeks in, and beginning to get used to a new kind of

normal. While the sun has been shining I know many have turned to their

gardens as a source of activity. It is good to have some challenges and tasks

that give us a purpose and a sense of achievement. I have been trying to get

fit and lose weight; and depending on how long we are in lockdown, I might

end up half the Rector I was. Harry is trying to learn to play the electric

guitar, and Ian is trying to sort out the garage.

Of course, learning a new activity, spring cleaning the house or giving the

garden an overhaul are all good activities, and they help keep our minds

sharp. This situation we now find ourselves in also brings us ways in which to

keep ourselves spiritually active. Suddenly we have that time to meditate

and pray, to spend quality time reading the Bible and to be open to hearing

God’s voice. We learn from scripture that the voice of God can be a still small

voice, and when our lives are busy and our minds distracted it can be

drowned out. I know that we live in terribly sad and difficult times with such

tragic loss of life and much to make us sad and anxious, but we are also given

a gift of time and space.

It is in this time and space that God meets us, it is here that he can calm our

fears and heal our infirmities. It is in this space that we can meet with the

risen Lord, and engage once again with the call that we may first have heard

many years ago.

Keep safe, keep well and keep praying.

Every Blessing

Rachel

THE UNINVITED

This heavy dread

that lurks -

even around a sunny corner

or a peaceful view.

It comes unasked and uninvited

like the virus

lurking underneath our certainties

undermining our complacencies.

What is our future as we face

our global lack of power to control

these unseen, alien organisms

that want only to destroy us.

We do our own despoiling of our planet’s ecosystem;

we do our own deforming of our own humanity

by our greed, our cruelty

and our selfish wars against the weak.

And yet

we also do our own repairing

of fractured lives and situations

in our moments of true altruism,

when we are strong enough

to be kind.

Poem contributed by Rosemary Holmes

Check the Parish Church website now! www.uppinghamchurch.co.uk

VE Day 75th Anniversary

Across the UK great events were planned and a special Bank Holiday on 8th May to mark the 75th anniversary of the declaration of Victory in Europe as World War Two was drawing to its close. Clearly current challenging circumstances rightly mean that street parties, church services and parades are inappropriate. It is hoped that it may be possible to combine VE and VJ events in August but we must wait and see.

Churchill had addressed the nation at 3pm on VE Day, he would later appear on the balcony of the Ministry of Health in central London telling the crowd “This is your victory.”

Events back then were as equally mixed and there are some similarities with today. There was dancing in Uppingham Market Place, flags strung across the road, church bells rang and pubs stayed open late.

However for many life continued much as it had … soldiers serving in Europe carried on as before – Dennis Wright, who had landed in France on D Day, was by now in Holland and remembers being told about it but nothing else changed. Many were still fighting the bitter battles against the Japanese in The Far East that would continue into August. At home rationing of food and other essentials would continue until 1954.

When war finally ended the 3.8 million British men and 400,000 women were demobilised, returning to their homes and families, some for the first time in

years. Tens of thousands of evacuees, mostly children, would return to towns and cities, many in need of rebuilding, whilst Commonwealth forces faced longer journeys home.

For the millions of displaced refugees many would find rebuilding their lives challenging especially those from Eastern Europe who suffered at the hands of the Nazi regime there was no welcome awaiting many.

Some reunions were joyous but often strained and sometimes painful … when we are able, our 75th anniversary commemorations will reflect that.

Resettlement to civilian life was a major concern for post-war governments and would drive social and economic change in Britain and worldwide. Europe would ultimately develop into a much different place with long-lasting peace and increased cooperation.

Rutland had played its part in the war effort, Uppingham lost 10 men whose names are remembered in the parish church and carved in the steps of the town’s war memorial. Two of our casualties rest in Commonwealth War

Graves in the lower church yard, others lie in around the world reflecting the nature of the conflict including France, Italy, Singapore and Burma.

You can still visit many sites linked to the war effort around the town today. Belton was bombed in 1942 when a returning German aircraft jettisoned

its bombs over the village, Glaston hosted airborne forces, US forces flew from Cottesmore on D Day and Poles from Spanhoe to Arnhem. If you look closely, you can still see work done by Uppingham’s Home Guard and the county still has many block houses around its countryside set to repel an invader. Eyebrooke Reservoir was used by 617 Squadron to practise for the Dambusters raids, Guy Gibson referring to it in his flight log as Uppingham Lake. In the Parish Church the oak Easter candle stand was given by Ione Roseveare in memory of her husband Bob, they had met whilst working at Bletchley Park. The Methodist church established a strong relationship with Kingswood School in Bath when its buildings were taken over by the Admiralty and they were evacuated arriving on a special train to Uppingham station. Uppingham School had been host to Camden School for Girls.

The country will mark VE75, but in a very different way than originally hoped, and here in Rutland work is well in hand to mark the day.

Richard Cole

Pigeon pie

Three vicars discussed the problem of pigeons in church. ‘We tried poison,’ said

one, ‘but people don’t like dead pigeons falling from the rafters during mass.’ A

second suggestion was shooting them, ‘but it damaged the roof.’ The third said,

‘We had this problem, but not any more. I just catch them, christen and confirm

them, let them go and we never see them again.’ courtesy The Times diarist

100 sets of scrubs (and rising…)

A team of talented sewers answered a cry for help from Uppingham surgery. On Good Friday the NHS frontline workers at the surgery put out an appeal for medical scrubs (working clothes for medics that look like loose pyjamas).Liz Clarke took up the challenge. With the help of social media, word of mouth and donations of used cotton sheets and duvet covers the first three sets of scrubs were delivered on the first working day back after the break.

But that was just the beginning. Since then an online donations page has been set up and gifts of bolts of cloth have been pouring in. It means that by the time you read this over 100 pairs of scrubs, and cotton bags to wash them in, will have been made locally and sent to the surgery. In turn, it has promised to share the uniforms with care and residential homes in and around Uppingham and other frontline workers who need them.

An interview Liz did about the project on Radio Leicester, resulted in an enquiry from a large medical practice in the city, asking for similar support and there are now other sewing groups filling the needs in their parts of Leicestershire, Rutland and further afield.

In Corby an offer to cut out the scrubs pattern on an industrial scale helped save the sewing teams hours and hours.

Well done and thank you, Liz and team! Eds

The Crystal Ball ‘O come, let us sing unto the Lord’

rediction is always a risky business, and even more so under the

unprecedented conditions in which we find ourselves at the moment.

As I write, it seems unlikely that we shall be back in church any time

soon; and yet one can’t dismiss the possibility out of hand that perhaps

by the end of May restrictions may have eased. So: although this is almost

certainly a hypothetical exercise, let me tell you what has been planned for this

month.

We are unlikely to have the chance to sing Howard Goodall’s popular

setting of The Lord is my shepherd on 3 May, which you may or may not find

disappointing; but it will definitely be sad if we are unable the following week

to perform How lovely are thy dwellings fair by Brahms, as this sublime

extract from the German Requiem never fails to give pleasure and consolation.

Tallis’s familiar miniature If ye love me is set for 17 May; and on Ascension

Day, 21 May, we have Martin How’s attractive arrangement of Fairest Lord

Jesus.

If we are able to sing Choral Evensong, this will be a special occasion

in more senses than one, as it will be open to other singers, and the music will

be directed by the well-known choral conductor David Hill. The music

planned consists of the introit O nata lux by Tallis with the responses by

William Smith; the service and anthem are both by Stanford. Stanford in C is

thought to have been the composer’s own favourite, and it is a vigorous,

tuneful and engaging setting; while Ye choirs of new Jerusalem, his response

to the words of a favourite Easter hymn, is a magnificent piece of writing

which showcases the power and expressive capacity of a large choir.

Well, there we are; we can but hope. I conclude with some words

about singing (and why online performances will never take the place of the

real thing). Last month I quoted from an essay in the collection Resonant

Witness; here is a quote from another essay in it, Stephen Guthrie’s ‘The

Wisdom of Song’: ‘When I sing among others, I hear a voice that is both mine

and not mine; a voice that is both in and outside of me. I hear my voice and

your voice – and this third thing – our voices together: a sound which has

properties which belong neither to your voice nor to my voice alone, but one

that is nevertheless shaped and takes its substance from the individual voices

comprising it.’

Succentor

P

St. Peter’s Church

Belton w Wardley

Weekly E-Service and Parish Notes

While our church buildings are closed under the Covid-19 regulations, Rachel and her team are producing a new E-service each week, together with a related service sheet. Links to these are available on the Uppingham Church website. The links are also included in our Parish Notes, which we continue to publish on-line, with the Sunday readings and collects, and a “Thought for the week” from Rachel.

St. Peter’s website: www.belton-wardley.org.uk

St. Peter’s church, Belton with Wardley website may be accessed via the above URL or by scanning this QR code

using your mobile phone.

Music for the lockdown?

In late March the BBC headlined “You'll Never Walk Alone” tops coronavirus 'lockdown chart' as their official Top 10 download listing very much reflected the spirit of the early days of the lockdown with Gerry & The Pacemakers’s version at No1. Following the incredible success of Capt Tom Moore’s walk for the NHS he and Michael Ball have now released a charity version.

No’s 2 and 3 of the BBC chart that week were “Locked Up” by Akon and “Don’t stand so close to me” by the Police, also in the list was “It’s the end of the world as we know it” by REM.

I have trawled through various playlists recently so here are a few more suggestions that spring out:

In the air tonight – Phil Collins Ghost Town – The Specials Stayin’ Alive – The Bee Gees Isolation – Joy Division Alone again (naturally) – Gilbert O’Sullivan In my room – The Beach Boys Everyday is like Sunday – Morrissey Our house – Crosby, Still, Nash & Young I am waiting – The Rolling Stones Tired of being alone – Al Green Lost in the supermarket – The Clash I’m bored - Iggy Pop Alone – Heart I stay away – Alice in Chains Don’t come around here no more – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Stay away – Nirvana Behind the mask – Fleetwood Mac Here I go again – Whitesnake Get off my cloud – The Rolling Stones

I feel sure people will have many other suggestions but I hope these thoughts on a theme will help everyone get through with a smile.

Richard Cole

A seasonally appropriate quotation from the works of 7dn is to be entered at

29, 13, 22 (3,2,5,5)

Across

1,21 ‘An _____ did our Lord prepare’ (Fred Pratt Green) (5,4)

4 Lurch around after start of Pentecost in diocese to find resting-place (9)

9 Saw there’s a whole book of them! (7)

11 Right pieces processed with these instructions (7) 12 Nymph discovered in the choir? (4)

13 See preamble

14 Spirits with an unknown curse (4) 17 Spy vitality, a new interpretation of children’s December dramas (8,5)

19 Conventional grouping so called because of its liability to

explode? (7,6)

21 See 1 22 See preamble

23 ‘I will ____ you as gently as any sucking dove’ (MND) (4)

26 Composer savaged by dog, say, when entertaining royal (7) 27 See graduate, following depression, achieve award (7)

28 Rat masks I reassemble in seaside shrubs (9)

29 See preamble

Down

1 Put the men in order, most recent of an indefinite series (9)

2 Amos, for example, give support with revised article (7) 3 Regretted being heard to be impolite (4)

5 In the mood for pleasure? Not appropriate attitude in a crisis (5-8)

6 Fortune for a lady? (4) 7 See preamble

8 Elizabeth’s favourite county (5)

10 Won the long-jump competition in Rogationtide ceremony? (4,3,6)

15 Turn out in the victory parade (5) 16 Priests losing large number from harvest celebration (5)

18 Wishful thinking as Doris fantasises (9)

19 Element I’m in, constructed with unfinished bout (7) 20 Legal equality for one child – goodness me! (7)

21 Head of biology in foundation is an automaton (5)

24 Celebrity with non-speaking part in 17? (4) 25 What’s unwelcome in the inbox or in the lunchbox? (4)

CROSSWORD NUMBER 334

by Succentor

SOLUTION TO LAST MONTH’S PUZZLE

QUICK QUIZ

…courtesy of Succentor. Enjoy!

Round 2 General knowledge I

1 Where would you find the anvil, hammer and stirrup together?

2 What do C. S. Lewis’s initials stand for?

3 Which Greek god is the equivalent of the Roman god Mercury?

4 Who captained the England cricket team when they won the Ashes

in 2009?

5 Of which country is the ringgit the unit of currency?

6 How many feet are there in a mile?

7 Which year in the Christian reckoning follows 1 BC?

8 What is the capital of Venezuela?

9 When is St Bartholomew’s Day?

10 What is the chemical symbol for potassium?

Round 1 (last month’s) answers: 1 A penny a day 2 The King of Spain's daughter 3 I took

him by the left leg and threw him down the stairs 4 Three score and ten 5 The beggars are

come to town 6 Georgy Porgy 7 He stole a pig 8 Good cream cheese 9 Hide his head under

his wing 10 The little boy who lives down the lane

news from Janet Wardle, Branch leader

We are still ‘confined to barracks’, but things continue to happen via technology. I know that Jill Cannings, our Diocesan President, continues to be busy, and all of us, one way or another, can support each other with a friendly chat and maybe an offer of shopping.

I am delighted to report that Rev Deborah Marsh has been appointed our new Diocesan Chaplain, replacing Rev Ann Davis who had to step down for family reasons. Deborah, as she now wishes to be known, is a former resident of Uppingham, and is known by those who have lived and served longest at our Parish church. It will be some time, I fear, before we see her ‘in action’!

I suspect that most folk will have heard by now of the financial plight in which the MU finds itself, and of the plea for donations to cover this difficult period. I have quite a lot of information, which I won’t reproduce here, but if you wish for more detail, just ask! I hope that many of you will feel able to send a donation, whether a member or not; the MU does such valuable work throughout the world in many fields of expertise - Christian leadership, campaigning, the website, support for those in need etc – and we cannot and must not let Mary Sumner’s work and all that has grown from it disappear because of a miserable little virus!

Last week I had a new experience – a Deanery meeting on Zoom! I am a rookie in these matters, so Jill kindly stepped in as host; most of us were able to get online and it was generally very successful. There was not much forward planning required, but it was heartening to see and hear everyone. Branch committee members watch out – it’s your turn next!

Do keep in touch, with me and with each other; don’t just phone a friend, phone an acquaintance!

Caption comp

etition

Last month’s winning entry, from Philip Riley:

'And if you press it here, it plays "God save the Queen".'

Thank you, to Philip for entering and Richard for judging! Eds

Benefice Directory

Churchwardens Uppingham Nick Clarke 829885 Belton Bob Atkinson 717464 Treasurers Uppingham Russ Garley

Belton John Hill 822271 PCC Secretaries Uppingham Jenny Harris 07512 214439 Belton Marietta King 821488 Parish administrator Uppingham Jenny Harris 07512 214439 Mothers’ Union Uppingham Janet Wardle 829923 Director of Music Uppingham John Wardle 829923 Organist Belton John Hill 822271 Flowers Uppingham Nicky Jervis 822109 Emmaus Jill Cannings 821870 Roy Seden 822683 Bible Study Anna Wilkinson 345004 Youth Emmaus Ian Watts 829956 Safeguarding Sue Saunders 829934 Bible Reading Fellowship Anna Wilkinson 345004 Bell Ringers Sue Webster 821922 Church Hall Bookings Hilary Dawe 823629 Social and Fundraising Jenny Harris 07512 214439 Gift Aid Secretary Geoff Thompson 821560 Quartet Editors John & Janet Wardle 829923 Readers Rota Uppingham Richard Cole 821190 Uppingham C of E Primary School 823245

Thank you for this month’s lively articles: please continue to send us in your news and views for the next issue, the earlier this month the better! – Eds

The views expressed or implied in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Rector, Ministry Team, Churchwardens or Editors. CCLI200555