12
PLEASE NOTE: Copy deadline for the September issue of The Link is 17 August at 4pm P6-7 3D Artwork Into the garden exhibition at Bishopscourt JULY/AUGUST 2012 Jubilee Lunch St Paul’s Church, Northumberland Heath teamed up with our uniformed organisations for a special Jubilee Lunch.We opened the doors at 12pm, not knowing how many would come, and were humbled that many families came off the estates in the rain; we were able to welcome around 300 people: God is good. A very happy and enjoyable afternoon was had by all, starting with an Opening Ceremony with the Rev Geoff Clark and the Scout and Guide leaders, with prayers and singing of the National Anthem, followed by a lunch of burgers and sausages on the BBQ, lasagne, chilli, jacket potatoes, coronation chicken and lots of cakes! The lunch was followed by craft activities such as windmill making, beading and making crowns and jubilee badges; there was a showing of the Queen’s Coronation on the big screen, and fun and games including Slug Racing, Panning for Gold, WII games and a bouncy castle. Everyone left with a present of a special Jubilee edition of the New Testament, a Jubilee mug, a More Than Gold mini-mag for the Olympic games and a booklet of flyers for upcoming events and weekly family activities at St Paul’s Church. It was great to be at the heart of our community celebrations, bringing people together, and also making new links and friendships. Well done and thank you to everyone involved, and to everyone who came. Water canon They had long wanted at Kippington to put their vicar in the stocks, and chose the Diamond Jubilee to do so! The children made sure he got a thorough soaking! But that was only at the end of an afternoon perfectly planned by members of the church as a free community event to celebrate the Queen’s 60-year reign. Outside there were races for children on a track kindly marked on our lawn by a local school, a coconut shy, ‘splat the rat’, the Rev Roly Bain the clown, a jelly stall, face- painting, a bouncy castle, fishing for (plastic) ducks in a paddling pool, and on display two By the Rev Canon David Kitley 1. God save our / gracious / Queen : as she celeb / rateth her / Diamond / Jubilee. 2. We rejoice that, as our ruler, she hath been bless'd with 59 / wonderful / years: and only / one an / nus horr / ibilis. 3. By virtue of the wonders of the / modern / media : she is a constant / presence / in our / lives: 4. Who could imagine Christmas Day without her / televised / speech : or the tabloids without the gossip con/cerning her / colourful / family? 5. She hath alway had a desire to be accessible / to her / subjects : delighting Psalm for the Diamond Jubilee vintage cars from 1935. We were so thankful that the sun came out! Inside the church centre were teas, in the church a display of women’s clothing from the last 60 years (including two wedding dresses), books published about the Queen’s Coronation, and a wonderful flower display on the red, white and blue theme. There were also guided tours of the building, and escorted visits to the tower. Our neighbours responded enthusiastically to the whole project; some helped to run the stalls, while numerous others read about it and turned up. The whole event felt like a little foretaste of heaven. This is the first such fete ever arranged here. Now we need an excuse for another one! them with frequent / royal / tours and / walkabouts. 6. Her radiant smile can / light up a / nation : but who may abide her glare / when she is / not am/us-ed? 7. She is a lover of animals, and is ever surrounded by / manifold / corgis : which are to her a / source of much / comfort and / pleasure; 8. It hath also been said that they render great help to the / royal / servants doing a multitude of little / jobs a/round the / palace. 9. Her husband Prince Philip is ever / at her / side : a man of great fortitude, but sadly lacking / in po/litical cor/rectness; 10. Had he not been a consort, he could have / been a con / tortionist: owing to his astonishing ability to open his / mouth and / put his / foot in it. 11. Her son and heir Prince Charles is a / spiritual / man : who hath an all-inclusive / attitude to /ward re/ligion; 12. It is his desire to be defender / of all / faiths : which, presumably, includes his belief in alternative medicine, and various other / uncon /ventional / practices. 13. [2nd part] This beggeth the question, when he is crowned as King and / Head of the / Church : will he be found in the Abbey praying to God, or out in the churchyard / talking / to the / plants? 14. Now we wish Her Majesty an enjoyable Jubilee, and another 60 / years as our / Queen : which, judging by her late mother's longevity, is not beyond the realms of / possi/bility. 15. Therefore let us sing with one / joyful ac/cord : / God / save the / Queen! Rachel Miles Christ Church Bexleyheath Chant taken from The National Anthem arranged by Rachel Miles (/ denotes breath) Trying to run at St Mary, Kippington Arranged by Rachel Miles

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Page 1: JULY AUGUST 2012 Water canon - Diocese of Rochester · 2015-04-20 · JULY/AUGUST 2012 Jubilee Lunch St Paul’s Church, Northumberland Heath teamed up with our uniformed organisations

PLEASE NOTE: Copy deadline for the September issue of The Link is 17 August at 4pm

PP66--77 33DD AArrttwwoorrkk

Into the gardenexhibition atBishopscourt

JULY/AUGUST 2012

Jubilee LunchSt Paul’s Church,Northumberland Heath teamedup with our uniformedorganisations for a special JubileeLunch.We opened the doors at12pm, not knowing how manywould come, and were humbledthat many families came off theestates in the rain; we were able towelcome around 300 people: Godis good.

A very happy and enjoyable afternoonwas had by all, starting with an OpeningCeremony with the Rev Geoff Clark and theScout and Guide leaders, with prayers andsinging of the National Anthem, followed bya lunch of burgers and sausages on the

BBQ, lasagne, chilli, jacket potatoes,coronation chicken and lots of cakes!

The lunch was followed by craft activitiessuch as windmill making, beading and makingcrowns and jubilee badges; there was ashowing of the Queen’s Coronation on the bigscreen, and fun and games including SlugRacing, Panning for Gold, WII games and abouncy castle.

Everyone left with a present of a specialJubilee edition of the New Testament, aJubilee mug, a More Than Gold mini-mag forthe Olympic games and a booklet of flyers forupcoming events and weekly family activitiesat St Paul’s Church.

It was great to be at the heart of ourcommunity celebrations, bringing peopletogether, and also making new links andfriendships. Well done and thank you toeveryone involved, and to everyone who came.

Water canonThey had long wanted atKippington to put their vicar inthe stocks, and chose the DiamondJubilee to do so! The childrenmade sure he got a thoroughsoaking!

But that was only at the end of anafternoon perfectly planned by members ofthe church as a free community event tocelebrate the Queen’s 60-year reign.Outside there were races for children on atrack kindly marked on our lawn by a localschool, a coconut shy, ‘splat the rat’, the RevRoly Bain the clown, a jelly stall, face-painting, a bouncy castle, fishing for (plastic)ducks in a paddling pool, and on display two

By the Rev Canon David Kitley

1. God save our / gracious / Queen : as sheceleb / rateth her / Diamond / Jubilee.2. We rejoice that, as our ruler, she hath beenbless'd with 59 / wonderful / years: and only /one an / nus horr / ibilis.3. By virtue of the wonders of the / modern /media : she is a constant / presence / in our /lives:4. Who could imagine Christmas Day withouther / televised / speech : or the tabloidswithout the gossip con/cerning her / colourful/ family?5. She hath alway had a desire to beaccessible / to her / subjects : delighting

Psalm for the Diamond Jubilee

vintage cars from 1935. We were so thankfulthat the sun came out!

Inside the church centre were teas, in thechurch a display of women’s clothing from thelast 60 years (including two weddingdresses), books published about the Queen’sCoronation, and a wonderful flower display onthe red, white and blue theme. There werealso guided tours of the building, andescorted visits to the tower. Our neighboursresponded enthusiastically to the wholeproject; some helped to run the stalls, whilenumerous others read about it and turned up.

The whole event felt like a little foretaste ofheaven. This is the first such fete everarranged here. Now we need an excuse foranother one!

them with frequent / royal / tours and /walkabouts.6. Her radiant smile can / light up a / nation :but who may abide her glare / when she is /not am/us-ed?7. She is a lover of animals, and is eversurrounded by / manifold / corgis : which areto her a / source of much / comfort and /pleasure;8. It hath also been said that they render greathelp to the / royal / servants doing amultitude of little / jobs a/round the / palace.9. Her husband Prince Philip is ever / at her /side : a man of great fortitude, but sadly

lacking / in po/litical cor/rectness;10. Had he not been a consort, he could have/ been a con / tortionist: owing to hisastonishing ability to open his / mouth and /put his / foot in it.11. Her son and heir Prince Charles is a /spiritual / man : who hath an all-inclusive /attitude to /ward re/ligion;12. It is his desire to be defender / of all /faiths : which, presumably, includes his beliefin alternative medicine, and various other /uncon /ventional / practices.13. [2nd part] This beggeth the question,when he is crowned as King and / Head of

the / Church : will he be found in the Abbeypraying to God, or out in the churchyard /talking / to the / plants?14. Now we wish Her Majesty an enjoyableJubilee, and another 60 / years as our /Queen : which, judging by her late mother'slongevity, is not beyond the realms of /possi/bility.15. Therefore let us sing with one / joyfulac/cord : / God / save the / Queen!Rachel MilesChrist Church BexleyheathChant taken from The National Anthemarranged by Rachel Miles (/ denotes breath)

TTrryyiinngg ttoo rruunn aatt SStt MMaarryy,, KKiippppiinnggttoonn

Arranged by Rachel Miles

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2 ochester Link

What’s onJJuullyySunday 1 JulySHOREHAM – Temenos Chamber Choir ‘Arise my love’:choral works inspired by love by Gurrero, Victoria, Purcelland Elgar. Concert followed by refreshments at The OldVicarage. Tickets £12-£6 from Shoreham Village Storesor Sevenoaks Bookshop.

Wednesday 4 JulyROCHESTER – Summer Concert by King’s RochesterSenior Choir and Chamber Choir at Rochester Cathedral.Performing sacred and secular music by Britten, Finzi andMonteverdi. Free admission. Contact 01634 888590.

EYNSFORD – Churchyards Workshop 10am-3:45pm atEynsford Village Hall. Workshops will include talks onbats, churchyard rules and regulations and grasslandmanagement. Free but booking is essential. Contact TaniaAvard on 01622 662012.

Saturday 7 JulyBEXLEY – The Friends of St Mary’s are holding aStrawberry Tea 3pm-5pm at 43 Wansunt Road, DA52DH. Admission £3 includes strawberry tea. Stalls withplants, cakes, raffles and gifts.

Friday 13 JulyWEST MALLING – Dr Jazz is appearing at St Mary’sChurch 7pm-10:30pm.

Saturday 14 JulyLAMBERHUST – The Gents of St John’s present a caféstyle evening with familiar songs at Lamberhurst MemorialHall at 7:30pm. Tickets £10. Contact 01892 891115 orvisit www.lamberhurstmusic.co.uk.

Sunday 15 JulyKEMSING – St Mary’s Church Choral Evensong at6:30pm to celebrate 350 years of the Book of CommonPrayer. All welcome.

TESTON – The Grand Question - A pageant starts on thevillage green at 3pm. Tickets from the Lych Gate on theday, £5 (includes cream tea). Contact 01622 812691.

Saturday 21 JulyCUXTON – Grand sports day Cuxton churches 2pm-5pmon the Sports Field, Bush Road. Races, fun and displaysfor all ages, tug of war and refreshments.

HALLING – The Marlowe Singers and the Alma and AlmaJunior Saxophone. Quartets from Armenia at 7:30pm at StJohn the Baptist.

VariousLUDDESDOWNE – Luddesdowne Church will be openevery Saturday in July, August and September 2pm-4:30pm. For directions visit www.cobham-luddesdowne.org or call 01474 812952.

LULLINGSTONE – ‘A well trodden path’ – an exhibitionto celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Book ofCommon Prayer 14-15 July. Over 70 Prayer Books at StBotolph’s Church, Saturday 11am-5pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm. Free entry.

AAuugguussttSaturday 4 AugustLAMBERHURST - Garden Opera Company will performPuccini’s La Boheme at Bayham Abbey. Bring a pinic.Gates open at 5pm, performance starts at 7pm. Tickets£30 but available at £27.50 until 1 August. Contact01892 891115 or visit www.lamberhurstmusic.co.uk.

TONBRIDGE – Fun afternoon at 2pm at St Philip’sChurch including games, attractions and activities for allages.

Sunday 5 AugustTONBRIDGE – All age service to celebrate the Olympicsat 10:30am at St Philip’s Church.

Friday 24 AugustCUXTON – St Michael and All Angels is marking the350th anniversary of the Book of Common Prayer withcelebration of Holy Communion at 7:30pm.

SSeepptteemmbbeerrSaturday 8 SeptemberTake part in the Friends of Kent Churches Ride and Strideto raise money for your church or chapel on Saturday 8September. Visit www.friendsofkentchurches.co.uk formore information.

VariousNETTLESTEAD – Celebration of 60 years of weddings atSt Mary the Virgin 1-2 September. 60 years ofphotographs plus 30 wedding and bridesmaid dresses.Open Sat 10am-6pm, Sunday 12:30pm-6pm,thanksgiving service with wedding couples at 6pm.Contact 01622 871272.

For September Link please email What’s On events [email protected]

Bishop Brian’s Diary - July

1 July 1030 Preach & preside at Patronal Festival -St Peter & St Paul, Bromley

1830 Preach at 350th anniversary of Book of Common Prayer - Chelsfield

2 July 1000 Spirituality Network Edenbridge1730 Bishop’s Council Meeting - Rochester

3 July 1400 Speak at Bromley & Bexley Archdeaconry Residential - Woking

4 July 0830 Agenda Planning Group - Rochester

5 July-18 July Visit our LINK Dioceses of Kondoa and Mpapwa, Tanzania

22 July 1000 Confirmation - Darenth

Children in Church? Euthuse themthrough musicOn Saturday 7 July at 4:30pm at Emmanual URC,West Wickham, BR4 9JS. This RSCM course isdesigned to help anyone leading or assisting JuniorChurch, Sunday School, Tea-Time Church or a crèche,discover ways of engaging children in musical activitiesas part of a worship plan. Suitable for non-specialists,clergy and music leaders of all abilities. Contact AdrianAdams on [email protected] or 020 86533305 or visit www.rscmsouthwark.org.uk.

Fancy a day out?Take part in the Friends of KentChurches Annual Sponsored

Saturday 8th September 201210am to 6pmDetails from your local church or fromCarolyn Millen on 01622 843383e-mail: [email protected] Registered Charity No: 20721

ORGANISTavailable as relief

SE London/ NW KentSundays & Weekdays

Traditional & Modern Music

Contact Ron SmithTEL/FAX: 020 8300 1527

Fee & Mileage

TToo aaddvveerrttiissee iinn tthhee RRoocchheesstteerr LLiinnkk ccaallll

0011775522 222255662233

CONTACT USNews and letters to the Editor:Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01634 560000 NEXT COPY DEADLINE August 17 for September Link ADVERTISEMENTS Email: [email protected] CCooppyy ffoorr TThhee LLiinnkk nneeeeddss ttoo bbee ttyyppeedd aanndd ssuubbmmiitttteedd bbyy eemmaaiill pplleeaassee.. IImmaaggeess mmuusstt bbee ssuubbmmiitttteedd aass eeiitthheerr aa TTIIFFFF oorr aa JJPPEEGG ffiillee ooff 330000ddppii.. ((SSeett yyoouurr ddiiggiittaall ccaammeerraa ttoo tthhee hhiigghheesstt qquuaalliittyy sseettttiinnggaanndd wwee wwiillll ttrryy ttoo ddoo tthhee rreesstt ffoorr yyoouu..))

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3ochester Link

JJuullyy1 July 1100 Patronal Festival - St Martin of Tours,

Ashurst 1800 Patronal Festival - St Peter’s (Old Church),

Pembury

2 July 1730 Bishop’s Council Meeting

3 July 1500 Garden Party - Retired Clergy & Spouses and Clergy Widows

1800 Garden Party - Serving Clergy, Spouses & Families

4 July 1030 Teddybear Service for Baby & Toddler group - Christ Church, Beckenham

5 July 1930 Confirmation Service - Cobham Deanery at St John, Meopham

6-10 July General Synod - York

11 July 0930 Bishop’s Staff Meeting - Bishopscourt

1830 Awards Evening with the Archbishop of Canterbury - Abbey Court School, Rainham

12 July 1930 Institution: the Rev Martin Booth - Riverhead with Dunton Green

13 July All day Kent County Show, Detling

14 July 1600 Diocesan Family 2012 Festival - West Kingsdown CEP School

15 July 1000 Preside & Preach - 150th Anniversary of St James, Tunbridge Wells

1830 Confirmation Service - Holy Trinity, Beckenham

17 July 1930 Collation: The Rev Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy

21 July 1000 Patronal Festival - St Mary Magdalene, Gillingham

22 July 1030 House of Bishops’ Senior Appointments Group - Leicester

Bishop James’ Diary - July/August25 July 1930 Rededication following Reordering -

St Michael, Wilmington 29 July 1030 Speak: ‘More Than Gold’ event -

Jackson Fields, Rochester

AAuugguusstt1 Aug 0930 Diocesan Synod Planning Group -

Bishopscourt

5 Aug 1030 Preside & Preach - St Francis of Assisi, Strood

10 Aug 1030 Gravesend Olympic Celebration - Riverview Junior School

11-21 Aug Holiday

26 Aug 1000 Preside & Preach: Dedication of new Chapel - St Margaret, Darenth

By the Very Rev Dr Mark Beach

A place of peace and beauty

Standing at the Great West Door ofthe Cathedral on the day of myinstallation as Dean, I saw again theview that greets our many visitorsand pilgrims.The solid beauty ofthe Norman Nave headed by thePulpitum Screen and drawing theeye on to the graceful soaringcolumns of the Quire;What a view!

I have been amazed at the numbers ofpeople who pass through the building.Children dressing as monks on a school trip,characters from Dickens’ stories joining us forEvensong during the festival and pilgrims fromparishes within the Diocese and beyond.Some come with specific intentions for prayer,others simply come in off the street out ofcuriosity.

One group from a parish in London wroteto us after their visit, complimenting the

Cathedral on its welcome and saying howmuch they enjoyed the day.

For all comers the Cathedral is a place ofpeace and beauty, some see only the heritageof the place, those beautiful columns or theoccasional Green Man smirking down fromthe roof. Our task is to help them to see more,to understand the motivation of the peoplewho built it, and to understand our motivationtoday to ensure that it lives and breathes thelove of God for his creation.

I am reminded of a hymn by Marty Haugen,a contemporary American hymnwriter:

Here in this place, new light is streaming, now is the darkness vanished away. See, in this space, our fears and ourdreamings, brought here to you in the light of this day.

Your Cathedral, for that is what it is, yourCathedral, is such a place, where our “fearsand dreaming” can be brought to God. ButHaugen goes on:

Gather us in - the lost and forsaken, gather us in - the blind and the lame. Call to us now, and we shall awaken, we shall arise at the sound of our name.

A place of welcome for all. But of course thisis not just the vocation of a cathedral but ofevery Christian community gathering in anancient church or an anonymous front room.To be a place of welcome and transformationwhere women and men can meet with theHoly God in Jesus and be awakened into newfaith and new life.

So I hope that very soon I will be able towelcome you to your Cathedral whether onyour own, part of a big diocesan celebrationor perhaps on a parish pilgrimage. We writeto parishes shortly before they areremembered on the Diocesan Prayer Diaryinviting them to come for Evensong, please doplan to come and join us in the transformingdaily round of prayer. We can even lay on acream tea in the Tea Rooms!

Rochester Diocesan Golf Day - 11 June

Twenty four players, male and female, lay andordained, gathered in the mist and rain for anearly start with Bishop James. For the secondyear running the games commenced in therain, but our spirits were not dampened andsoon the merry sounds of club hitting ball, ballhitting tree and golfers beating the ground inritual despair were ringing out across theNorth Kent countryside! Yes it was good to beback on the golf course once more.

When the valiant band of players returnedto the clubhouse for drinks and for lunch, thetales of our morning’s exertions began tounfold. Graham came top of the pile, closelyfollowed by John. Derek and Brian won the

nearest shot to the pin competition, withPeter’s being the longest drive. Marc won anew club for a ‘special award’ and Gary wonthe clergy ‘best in class’ competition(surnames withheld to prevent undue self-congratulation or despair!).

Bishop James presented the prizes,Campbell told us all another story(!), Vickyreceived a round of applause for marking all ofthe scorecards and we all went homeresolved to do better next time....

Next year we hope to repeat the DiocesanGolf Day on the second Monday in June2013, so we invite you to make it a date andjoin with us!

By the Rev Ian Brown

TThhee VVeerryy RReevv DDrr MMaarrkk BBeeaacchh

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5ochester Link

Archdeacon Clive Mansell and theVicar of St Andrew’s Church,Paddock Wood, the Rev BryanKnapp, travelled to our linkDiocese of Kondoa in Tanzania forthe Consecration of the newBishop, the Rt Rev Given Gaula.The journey involved 2 days oftravel to get there and 2 days oftravel to get back.

Clive and Bryan report: “We were given avery warm welcome wherever we went.People particularly valued the fact that wehad travelled half way across the globe tobe with them in Kondoa—one of the moreremote parts of Tanzania. They especiallyvalued the link with the Rochester Dioceseexpressed by our presence and by thegreeting sent by Bishop James. We werealso able to bring a personal greeting from

the Archbishop of Canterbury. This too wasdeeply appreciated.

“The Consecration Service itself required usto be at the Cathedral area at 8.30am andlasted for 3 hours; the accompanyingproceedings did not finish until 2pm! (Whocomplains about long services in England?)We then had a further 2 hours of eating lunchand witnessing greetings and gifts beingoffered from parishes and groups and otherbishops to the new Bishop.

“We had personal time with Given Gaulaand were able to present him with a pectoralcross as a gift from Bishop James, BishopBrian and the Diocese here. He was thrilled tobits with this and wore it at his Consecrationon the following day.

Do pray for him and his people and for theirChristian life, witness and service in a part ofTanzania which is materially very poor andwhere Islam is the majority faith.”

TThhee RRtt RReevv DDrr GGiivveenn GGaauullaa ,, BBiisshhoopp ooff KKoonnddooaa aanndd hhiiss wwiiffee tthhee RReevv LLiilllliiaann GGaauullaa

From Rochester with loveBy the Rev Canon David Kitley

I have avoided twitter like theplague, frightened off by therealisation of having to master anew form of technology on theinternet. However, inspired by theCommunications Department Ihave recently dived into the worldof twitter and I have discovered awhole new world which can beextremely helpful and useful.

Some may use twitter or think of using it ina similar way to status updates in facebookbut actually twitter can be extremelyresourceful if used in a more creative wayrather than just another social network.

In twitter you create a tweet of somethinginteresting you wish to share within 140characters. You therefore have to be concise.If you read something interesting and wish toshare that on your tweets, you retweet it and itappears on your tweets (like how you forwardan email). People interested in your area or inyou can then follow you. Similarly you canfollow other twitter feeds that are of interest toyou. Such focus is extremely helpful and

resourceful within the focus of CMD. As the Diocesan CMD Officer, therefore, I

have created @RochesterCMD on twitter fora number of helpful reasons. Firstly, it willpromote and highlight CMD opportunitieswithin the Diocese of Rochester advertised onthe main diocesan website for Clergy,Readers, Pastoral Assistants and Evangelists(and soon Licensed Lay Ministers); secondly,it will be used to promote and highlight CMDopportunities beyond the Diocese ofRochester and its structures and thirdly, it canbe used by others to make us aware of theirevents enabling a rich of kaleidoscope ofnetworking.

So get tweeting and get following anddiscover a world of opportunity at your fingertips.

Continuing Ministerial Development goes TwitterBy the Rev Trevor Gerhardt, CMD Officer

TThhee RReevv TTrreevvoorr GGeerrhhaarrddtt

TThhee RReevv BBrryyaann KKnnaapppp,, tthhee RRtt RReevv DDrr GGiivveenn GGaauullaa aanndd tthhee VVeenn CClliivvee MMaannsseellll

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6 ochester Link

Bishopscourt garden exhibition

Into the garden

Recent visitors to the Bishopscourtgarden have been treated to adisplay of three dimensionalartwork created by students fromthe University of Creative Arts(UCA), entitled, "Into the garden."

Course tutor Rebecca Waterworth said,"Into the garden was my idea. It ismetaphorical in the sense that the studentstake something and extend it. I suppose that’show we see the garden in England. Thegarden is a notion of the extension of thehouse or of the interior space.” Rebeccaadded, “The students initially completed a 10week project for their pre-degree course.This exhibition gave them the opportunity toextend those ideas into the exhibits displayedin the Bishopscourt garden.”

Suspended from the boughs of a tree,Georgina Ritson's work, "Digital Sanctuary"comprises a transparent acrylic stenciloutlining Rochester Cathedral alongsidefeatures from the Bishopscourt garden,including a sun-dial and water fountain.Resting in the flowerbeds beyond, anothercoloured stencil lies on the soil. Georginasaid, "I liked the way you can see through astencil and the outside makes up the image. Idecided to hang my stencil on the treebecause it is near the scenery I used to createthe image - so as you walk around thegarden, you can see the Rochester Cathedralspire."

Interested in the way space changes overtime, artist Layla Moore has created a threedimensional map of Rochester from upturnedscrew-top jars, sited on concentric circles ona board. Entitled, "Map esque dial" Layla hasdrawn skyline silhouettes with location detailsin indelible marker on each water-filled jar to

represent different areas in Rochester,including Lorenzo's high street restaurant andRochester Cathedral. She explained, "I haveinvestigated the juxtaposition of myrelationship with the town and the historicallandmarks of Rochester as a Cathedral town.Visitors should be able to use the map esquedial to understand their own physical locationand my relationship to Rochester."

To create his work entitled, "Ayla solPangea" (the moon's halo of light, the sun andfinally, "pangea" the time when all the earth'scontinents were connected), Jesse Pollackstudied occult imagery, native art, folk art,voodoo and mythology. His idea was tocombine native symbols and patterns tocreate one entire entity. Tucked behind severalslender tree trunks, the result is a large boardbearing the complex image of a bear, drawnsitting cross-legged, with its right paw raised.The body and limbs of the bear are made upof numerous images including eagles, atortoise, a bee and a frog. Nestling at the footof the tree are four other drawings, eachsketched on a separate section of a treetrunk.

Pippa Thomson is interested in how wecommune with nature. Her "cocoon" wasinspired by Hobbit holes from the Lord of theRings film. Created from wood, turf and quilts,the cocoon is a secure structure, which,despite its artificial creation would grownaturally over time. It looks like a tunnelcovered with green turf! Pippa said, " Mypiece is about how we immerse ourselves inan environment, what we are comfortable anduncomfortable with. I am interested in howpeople get an outside lifestyle, how werespond to nature and how we synthesise thatwith our lifestyle now and for the future.”

Walking across the lawn, Kirsty Stainsby'swork "Worms" can be quite disconcerting.

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Using a collection of organic materialincluding tree branches covered with mossand lichen, Kirsty has recreated humanarteries and veins. Painted blood red, thegnarled and tapering branches climb the treetrunk to which they have been screwed. Afurther piece is suspended head-height frombranches of the tree. Reflecting her interest inbiological science, Kirsty said, “My work wasbased on the human vascular system, usingtrees as an organic material to show it. I haveput it on the tree so it is like a section of thetree with its own blood supply.”

Michael Davies took black and whitephotographs of everyday garden plants suchas allium, the curry plant, peony and tulip tree,hazel, pinecones and columbine to create hisHarmony exhibition. Monochromephotographs were suspended against thebackdrop of a bright green Yew hedge tocreate contrast. He painstakingly cut outacrylic representations of flora and fauna andsuspended these in the adjacent hedge.Michael said, "I took close-up photos ofdetails in the garden and turned them from2D drawings to 3D structures out of acrylic.So I turned the garden elements into morearchitectural features, rather than them lookingcompletely natural.”

At first glance, one installation ("nothing canbe erased") looks like a huge spider's web,tangled with rusty barbed wire andsurrounded by rocks each bearing a colouredweb or lichen growth. Fascinated by disorderand vast, mountainous landscapes, HollyDuce said, "Untamed locations offer a sublimevision embracing fear of the unknown. I havebeen exploring material in a state many wouldconsider unusable or destroyed. I aimed toamass objects in their state of decay andtranslate them sculpturally into somethingchaotic and lawless as a portrayal of the

landscapes they were discovered in. Objectscontinue on their journey of infinitetransformation." Holly has recycled discardedrope, fabric and stones into her creation,bringing new life to them by adding pink, blueand green threads into the web-like structuresshe created surrounding them.

Nestling under the canopies of several treesand surrounded by ivy on the ground,"Balancing Structures" was created by JamesDavies using mirrors and transparent acrylic.He said, "I did not want visitors to bedistracted from the natural colours, texturesand beauty of the garden. He explained, "Iwanted to see how I could contrast betweenarchitectural shapes and the natural shapesand forms that you can find in a garden. Iused clear materials to show the colours ofthe garden and by using the mirror I tried tomanipulate views of the garden.” In an artgallery, James's work would be balancedagainst itself, but for the garden exhibition,where it would have to withstand the windand rain, the exhibit has been glued together.

90% of wild plants are pollinated by beesand honey is the only food including all thesubstances necessary to sustain life -according to Henry Flaherty's exhibition,"Information is power." Concerned about thenatural world and the future of humanity,Henry is concerned that bees areendangered. Interested in informationgraphics, Henry's work shows mountedimages of giant bees atop of interesting facts"planted" in adjacent plant-pots. Causes ofdiminishing bee populations include loss ofnatural habitat, global warming and theincreasing use of pesticides.

Other work exhibited was by RosemarieFoad, Rhianne Hill, Kate Samuels, HollyMcDonald, Tom Helyer-Cardwell andRebecca Waterworth.

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On Pentecost Sunday (27 May),though there were no visibletongues of fire, the temperaturesoared and the sun beat down as acrowd of over 100 people gatheredto worship God in the picturesqueruins of Lesnes Abbey in AbbeyWood.

Leading the worship were the Bishop ofRochester, the Rt Rev James Langstaff, theBishop of Woolwich, the Rt Rev MichaelIpgrave, the Chair of the Methodist District,the Rev Jenny Impey, and localrepresentatives of the Methodist Circuit.Although it cannot be said that “threethousand people were added to their numberthat day”, many passers-by stopped andstared at what may have seemed a strangespectacle but was in fact an example of aliving Church gathering. The Word was clearlyproclaimed through the direct reading ofScripture and the preaching which followed.As the bread was broken and the wine waspoured and shared, there was definitely asense of God’s presence in that ancient placeof worship. We were encouraged, as thetheme of the Service proclaimed, to “Go forGold, in the power of the Spirit”.

After the service, there was time to improvethe suntan by everyone sharing the differentpicnics they had brought. Wonderfully, noneof those who led the worship had to rush offto other commitments, so there was time forpeople from the different churches to get toknow each other. At the original feeding of the5,000 there was quite a mess left over, about

12 baskets of food. However, in an importantact of witness those, who participated in theservice picked up all their rubbish, and left thesite as clean as when we arrived.

Someone asked: “Is this an Annual Event?”It could be, from now on! Thanks to God forHis planning and blessing, and to everyonewho worked to make the day special.

Fiery Temperatures at Lesnes Abbey

Exhibition celebrating 350 years of the 1662 Book ofCommon Prayer at St Botolph’s Church, Lullingstone

A group from St Andrew’s Church, BostallHeath accompanied by the Rev SulaimanShahzad recently went on pilgrimage to theHoly Land.

Their visit coincided with a group led byLord Carey and it was with great joy thatthey shared in the Eucharist Servicetogether, at St George’s Cathedral, led bythe Bishop of Jerusalem, The Rt Rev SuheilDawani.

The Book of Common Prayerrepresents the return to biblicaltruth of the English Reformation.

It evolved over five versions, producedduring a period of 100 tumultuous years.During this time the country briefly returned toRoman Catholicism under Queen Mary andthe book was banned. The principal author,Thomas Cranmer, was burnt at the stake forheresy. When Charles I was beheaded fortreason, there followed 10 years of extremePuritanism, when the book was banned again.The 1662 Book was published two years afterCharles II had been welcomed back to takethe throne.

Many generations have had their faithstrengthened by its use and have beenbaptised, married and buried by its rites. Ithas seen an empire rise and change into aCommonwealth of Nations. It has helped tospread Anglicanism and the use of theEnglish language across the world. It is not amuseum piece but remains an inspiring part of

worship today.“A well trodden path,” an exhibition at St

Botolph’s Church, Lullingstone, will invitevisitors to turn the pages of history. Theexhibition includes 17th century “black letter”altar copies, Georgian editions liberallyembellished with vibrant illustrations ofreligious scenes and insights into theGeorgians at prayer, Victorian miniatures andappropriately in this Jubilee year, PrayerBooks associated with Royal occasions, aswell as some volumes on loan from theChapel Royal at Hampton Court. With overseventy historic and interesting Prayer Bookson show, the exhibition charts the remarkablehistory of the 1662 Book and its 350thanniversary. Entry is free. Saturday 14th July11am – 5pm. Sunday 15th July 12pm – 5pm.

Experience the Book of Common Prayer inuse at the 11am Holy Communion servicepreceding the re-opening of the exhibition onSunday, when the sermon will be given by thethe Ven Clive Mansell.

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Intercession during July/August1 July: St Mary, Gravesend2 July: Advisory Council for Communications3 July: Istead Rise4 July: Christ Church, Milton5 July: St Peter and St Paul, Milton6 July: General Synod 6-10 July7 July: Mothers’ Union8 July: Sea Sunday9 July: The Thames Gateway Management

Group 10 July: Christians working in the media11 July: Northfleet and Rosherville12 July: Members of Parliament & EC

Representatives13 July: Perry Street14 July: Shorne15 July: Southfleet16 July: Kent County Councils and local

Towns and District Councils17 July: Chaplains, Air Training and Sea

Cadet Corp18 July: Swanscombe19 July: Rochester Deanery20 July: Friends of the Clergy Corporation21 July: Borstal22 July: St Mary and St John, Chatham23 July: Our ministry to tourists and visitors

24 July: St Paul with All Saints, Chatham25 July: Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust26 July: St Philip and St James, Chatham27 July: St Stephen, Chatham28 July: Kent Air Ambulance29 July: Oxleas NHS Trust30 July:Luton31 July: Princes Park

1 August: Queen Mary Sidcup NHS TrustQueen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust

2 August: Dartford & Gravesham NHS TrustMaidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

3 August: South West Kent PCTDartford, Gravesham & Swanley NHS Trust

4 August: Medway NHS Trust5 August: Kent & Medway NHS and Social

Care Partnership Trust6 August: St Justus, Rochester7 August: St Peter with St Margaret,

Rochester8 August: South Chatham9 August: Medway PCT10 August: Strood Deanery

11 August: Cliffe with Cooling12 August: Cuxton & Halling13 August: South East Coast Ambulance

NHS Trust14 August: Frindsbury with Upnor &Chattenden15 August: Grain with Stoke16 August: High Halstow with Allhallows &

St Mary, Hoo17 August: Burrswood Christian Centre18 August: Higham with Merston19 August: St Werburgh, Hoo20 August: Hospices serving the Diocese21 August: Diocesan Committee amongst the

Deaf & Deaf/Blind22 August: St Nicholas with St Mary, Strood23 August: H M Prison Service24 August: Kent Ecumenical Police

Chaplaincy25 August: Tonbridge Archdeaconry26 August: Malling Deanery27 August: Aylesford28 August: Barming29 August: BART Group30 August: Patrons responsible for livings31 August: Burham & Wouldham

Family Fun DayThe Friends of St Paulinus Church Crayfordhad a stall at the Crayford Town Fun Day(organised by the Crayford Rotary) onSaturday 16 June in the Waterside Gardens,Crayford.

Led by their Chair, Marilyn Evennett, andsupported by Friends committee members,the stall sold homemade cakes and held atombola to raise funds. The stall also allowedthe Friends to promote the St PaulinusChurch Open Day on 6 October andmembership of the Friends.

Local MP, David Evennett, and localCouncillors, Eileen Pallen and HowardMariner, assisted at the stall.

Pictured from left to right: David EvennettMP, Jenny Dunlop (Deputy Chair of theFriends), Wendy Hopwood (Secretary),Marilyn Evennett (Chair), Cllr Eileen Pallenand Cllr Howard Marriner; John Holbrook(Treasurer), Tim Hopwood and Matt Scott.

The Cathedral Quire StallsThe Stalls in the Cathedral Quire, mostlyoccupied by the Honorary Canons of theCathedral, are each named after significantcharacters in Rochester’s long history.

AAnntthhoonnyy TThhoorroolldd - Anthony Wilson Thoroldwas born of a noble family in Lincolnshire in1825. He graduated from Queen’s CollegeOxford in 1847 and was ordained in 1849.After a distinguished parish ministry incentral London, he was appointed aResidentiary Canon of York in 1874, andconsecrated Bishop of Rochester in 1877.As Bishop, he was a fine administrator wholed by example. He established a fund forten new churches, encouraged lay ministry

including deaconesses and evangelists,together with parish, school and collegemissions in South London and temperance.He confirmed and later backed Wilson Carlilein founding the Church Army. In 1890 he wasappointed Bishop of Winchester, dying inoffice in 1895 on the 18th anniversary of hisconsecration. An evangelical by conviction,Bishop Thorold travelled widely for recreation,as far as America and Australia. He spoke andwrote well, inspiring his colleagues bysincerity, hard work and devotion to Christ.

The current Canon to occupy this stall theRev Canon Ruth Oates.

Praying the way was received too late to print. For Praying the way,please visit the Diocesan website www.rochester.anglican.org

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On the record

By the Ven Simon Burton-Jones

The pace of social change, drivenby digital communication, has beenso fast in our lifetime that weforget how far we have come.

Some of you will have seen Wall Street 2,the post-crash sequel to the defining yuppiefilm of the 80s. Gordon Gekko is releasedfrom prison for insider trading after twentyyears. He is handed his possessions by theprison authorities, which include amonstrously sized mobile phone, once theheight of sophistication but now a periodabsurdity. We have come a long way from thegreen glow Amstrad computers we onceused.

In decades to come we will be known asthe first generation of the digital age. We mayfeel we are managing its challenges with coolself-awareness, but there is a chance thatfuture eras will be aghast at our failure tohandle new technology in a way that enabledhuman flourishing rather than undermine it.While digital tools enable us to have swift andefficient communication with one another, theylack the essential intimacy of face to facecommunication. By definition emails paredown to a minimum the courtesies andkindnesses of meeting someone. They canalso be used aggressively to bully orintimidate without the cost of having to say itto someone’s face, thus creating something ofa coward’s charter today.

We have all been hurt by emails; it is quitelikely we have hurt other people withoutrealising it or intending to. Most people areable to pick up the clues they are being givenin face to face communication. Digitalcommunication, by contrast, draws a veil overthe face. Some are critical of other culturesfor drawing opaque veils over the faces ofpeople, but blithely embrace this digitalveiling. The moral is clear: if we havesomething difficult to say to someone weshould say it to their face, or at the least overthe phone, where voice intonation can bediscerned and a fluid conversation sustained.It would be sad to create a world where we

are afraid to open our emails for fear they willhurt us, but my suspicion is that some peoplehave already arrived at that point.

The breathtaking speed of the digitalrevolution means that there are few normssurrounding its use. Over decades, socialetiquette has developed slowly to deal withthe challenges of modern life. Good mannersare no anachronism: they guide and advisehuman relationships, ensuring we treat oneanother with respect and equality. But theadvances in digital technology have been sorapid that we have yet to see good norms ofbehaviour emerge surrounding them. At first itwas the use of the mobile phone in a publicplace, often a train, where someone wouldtreat the whole carriage to the minutiae oftheir love-life or what they are going to cookthat night. Now it’s the use of social media.One commentator recently expressed herdismay to find people updating their onlinestatuses in the middle of a funeral service.Some of you may have seen this happen.

Facebook and other social media siteshave the potential to draw us closer togetherand many of us have enjoyed this facility, evenif it is sometimes surrounded by the mostmundane and prosaic of dialogue. But I worryabout the ethics of social media. Facebook’screators have gone on record that part of thephilosophy behind the company is the beliefthat any divisions between public and privatein a person’s life are essentially false andshould be removed and that Facebook doesthat for us. Leaving to one side the alarm I feelthat the biggest experiment in the history ofsocial intercourse is being driven by somegeographically removed men, I believe wehave dividing lines between public and privateto reflect the complex and multi-layered natureof our personality. We should relate differentlyto family, friends, acquaintances, workcolleagues and strangers. If we didn’t it wouldbecome a disorientating world where allbecome vulnerable. Yet this is what Facebookand other social media sites achieve.

We should be very careful what we putonline, especially as Christian leaders. Unlike

words which dissipate into the air, these canbe recorded and shared by others. And theyare. Bishops and Archdeacons have beenknown to receive print-outs sent by peopleessentially snitching on vicars. The fact thatour thinking is now routinely recorded indigital form is like some kind of perversefulfilment of the eschatological promise thatwhat we whisper in private will be shoutedfrom the rooftops. Social media are public, notprivate and we should drill this mantra intoourselves.

One of the questions often asked ofcelebrities is: Do you Google yourself? Somelie and say they don’t. I would recommend youdo, if you haven’t! It's possibly the first thing ajournalist will do if they are digging round astory. There may not be much we can doabout the outcome, but it is helpful to knowwhat’s there.

If these are some of the pitfalls of thedigital revolution, we could spend a daylooking at the benefits. The Christian messagehas endlessly and fruitfully adapted to the

era’s media and a whole world of opportunityis out there. We should not be afraid, but findencouragement and strength to pursue it.

Some of you already are, and this day willhelp you on this path. We don’t have to keeppace with every avenue of communication, butfind our milieu. I have a personal website Iwork on a little each week. It’s there forothers to view if they want to. Yet I can’t bebothered with Facebook and Twitter. For methat’s too much effort. But many churches areusing Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in themost creative and imaginative of ways. Becontent with what you like, really. But alwayshold before you a sense that, in spite of thismedia’s limitations, the Holy Spirit willceaselessly be at work to bring glory to God.

Only a few decades ago, the only peoplewho left a legacy in print were thosecommissioned to write books or about whombooks were written. This has changed. Oneof the enduring legacies we will now leavesurrounding your faith is our digital footprint.

So let’s ensure it is an assured, gracious andgenerous one for future generations to enjoy.

What else does he do?The man who delivers Link around theDiocese each month, Tony Gilbert, togetherwith a group of bellringing friends from theRochester area, is taking on the “ThreePeaks Challenge”. The Challenge is to climbthe three highest peaks in Scotland,England and Wales in under 24 hours. A challenge indeed, as Tony describes: “During the course of the 24 hours we willclimb Ben Nevis standing at 1344 metres,Scafell Pike at a height of 978 metres andfinally Snowdon at 1085 metres. On top ofthis, we will be travelling around 400 milesbetween the three peaks.

“If that’s not enough, after driving toEdinburgh on route to the start of thechallenge we hope to be ringing atEdinburgh Cathedral the night before. The challenge will start at 5pm on Friday 27 July at the foot of Ben Nevis and we willcomplete it (hopefully) by 5pm on 28 Julywhen we descend Snowdon and reach thePen-y-Pas Youth Hostel.

“As a group we have been walking togetherfor a while and decided we wanted to take ona challenge and, while doing it, raise moneyfor a local charity. The charity we have chosenis Emmaus Medway. Emmaus Medway is partof the national Emmaus movement, whosePresident is Terry Waite CBE and Patron isHRH The Duchess of Cornwall. Emmaussupports people who are going through atough time and helps them get back on theirfeet by offering them housing and learning anew set of skills recycling furniture, which isthen sold through the Emmaus shop. TheMedway shop is at High Street, Rochester –right on the corner by the Railway Station.If you would like to support us in raising fundsfor this local charity go towww.justgiving.co.uk and follow the search for“The Bellringers”.Walkers: Derna Brown, Alan Carfrae, PeteCornell, Tony Gilbert, Vince Howell and BenKipling. RRiigghhtt ttoo lleefftt:: PPeettee CCoorrnneellll,, VViinnccee HHoowweellll,, AAllaann CCaarrffrreeee,, DDeerrnnaa BBrroowwnn aanndd TToonnyy GGiillbbeerrtt