From The Rectory

The terrorist attack in Madrid is still uppermost in my mind as I write this. Words all but fail those who are law-abiding and peace loving people, of any or no religious persuasion, to describe the feeling of revulsion at such an atrocity.  September 11th and now March 11th are scarred days in the calendar for two nations; the threat to the civilisation and freedom we have come to cherish is real.  At our 0945 Eucharist on March 14th the congregation joined me in silence for one minute not only to remember the Madrid victims, the dead, the injured and their families, but to pray that the peoples of the world which God created will ultimately respond to His love and not to the ways and means of those intent on evil.

It was that great love of God for his created world that took Jesus to the cross on the first Good Friday as a sacrificial offering for the sins of the peoples of the world for all time.  Despite all the failings of the human race, God has not shut his people out; the danger is that we as part of that human race, through our actions, may shut ourselves out from God.  As we continue our journey through the season of Lent let us all look carefully at what our real response to God is.  May that response be to give a place in our lives to that loving God, who not only sacrificed his Son to die on the cross but caused the tomb to be empty three days later on that first Easter morning.  'Alleluia, Christ is risen'. This is the faith of the Church, is this our faith despite so much adversity in this present age?

Greetings and peace to you all.

Philip

top

From St. Giles' Registers

Cremations at Breakspear Crematorium

Feb. 17th	Brian Clark, aged 67
23rd	William John Buckledee, aged 79 (followed by Service of Thanksgiving in St Giles' Church).
24th	Doris Evelyn Freeman, aged 88 (after Funeral Service in St Giles' Church).
Mar. 2nd	Ellen (Nell) Marner, aged 90
5th	Albert (Bert) Holland, aged 79
8th	David Singleton, aged 73 (after Funeral Service in St Giles' Church). Gladys Eileen Knibbs, aged 83
10th	Edith Marjorie Wyldbore, aged 75
11th	Phyllis May Wilson, aged 86

Burials of Ashes

Jan 17th	Hilda Mary Buck
Mar 6th	Peter Daldry Keith Briggs
8th	Daisy MacDonald
13th	Molly Watkins

top

Burials of Ashes in Caskets in St Giles' Churchyard

With effect from 31 March 2004, the St Giles' Churchyard will be closed to the Burial of Ashes in Caskets in NEW plots.  Burials in existing plots will continue where space permits.  Ashes may still be buried in the Garden of Remembrance (but not in caskets) with an entry in the Memorial Record Book kept in St John's Chapel in the Church.

Philip Robinson
Priest-in-Charge

top

From the U.R.C. Elders

London ­ 58% Christian?

This issue will be delivered to your home at the time when churches throughout the world are preparing for the most important festival in the Christian calendar ­ Easter.
 
Over recent years, during the period of Advent, church communities have made a particular effort to encourage members of their local community to think about the true meaning of Christmas.  This is a reaction to the increasing commercialisation and secularisation of Christmas, which even those with no religious belief are finding annoying and ridiculous. 
 
For Christians the season of Easter is far more important than Christmas.  For many it's just another weekend ­ time off work to go shopping, visit the fitness club, play golf, decorate a room in the house or take a few days away.  Just as Christmas has lost its true meaning for many, so has Easter.
 
In the 2001 census, 58% of people living in London gave their religion as Christian.  What do those 58% think it means by professing to be Christian?  Christians are not united in their beliefs about the interpretation of for example the virgin birth, the resurrection or the concept of heaven and hell.  We cannot prove to you that God exists, or that our 'soul' is not simply some general life force, but we do experience purpose in our lives, an inner peace and hope for the future.  Our central belief, however, is that by loving God and in turn loving other people as we love ourselves, our life style should reflect the example shown to us by Jesus.  However if we cannot celebrate Easter we are not Christian because we have not understood its incomparable message of forgiveness.  Through the death of Jesus we have the access to God. Easter Day is a most glorious Father's Day because we thank God the Father for all He has done for us.  If your life seems empty, purposeless and full of disquiet consider coming to the foot of the cross and looking up.  Within the mystery of Easter there is much to think about ­ we hope you will find some time to do so and come and share in some of the Easter services with us.
Peter J. Williams (U.R.C. Elder)

top

Don't Miss the Spring "Jumblie" at the U.R.C!

The U.R.C. is holding a mammoth Jumble Sale in the Hall on Saturday April 24th from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, with FREE entrance and plenty of bargains. Refreshments will be available. If you have anything to donate, please contact Richard Piper on 01895 634348 or richardjpiper@btopenworld.com

top

John Henry Hart

A large congregation packed St Giles Church on the 16th February to celebrate the life of John Hart, a remarkable man, who died on 30th January, aged 92. The service, attended by his family, many local people and old friends from as far away as the Midlands, the North of England, Scotland and France was taken by his friend of many years, John Warren. It was both a tribute to his contribution to the local community and also a thanksgiving and musical celebration of his long life. It was led by a combined choir from Chorleywood Choral Society and the Middlesex Masonic Choir and included a solo by Jim Ashton.
 
John trained as an engineer at the AEC in Greenford and went on to be transport manager in a number of local firms.  He married his wife, Freda (née Broughton) in 1937 at St John's Church, Hillingdon.  They moved from Hillingdon to Ickenham in 1967 and celebrated their diamond wedding with a party at Ruislip Golf Club in 1997.
 
During the Second World War the family temporarily moved to Oxfordshire where John worked for De Haviland repairing Spitfires and Hurricanes.
 
Having been a scout since he was a boy he was for many years a District Scouter in the Uxbridge District.
 
He became a freemason in 1953, joining Neeld Lodge at Marlow.  In later years he joined a number of local Masonic lodges including the Scout Lodge, Pro Juventuti, and the Middlesex Masonic Choir. He also played the organ for many other local lodges.  In 2003 he was awarded a prestigious rank to celebrate 50 years as a freemason.
 
John was well known to many people in Ickenham as the conductor of Ickenham Choral Society, a post that he held for 25 years.  During that time a small, inexperienced group of singers (and conductor) moved with considerable success from concert party pieces to challenging oratorio.
He also held the post of conductor of the Chorleywood Choral Society for about fifteen years, presiding over many joint concerts.  He was an outstanding amateur singer, both as a soloist and as a member of the Fairey Aviation Male Voice Choir.  Local people will also remember him for the many years that he was the commentator at the Middlesex Show.
 
Right up to his death he remained very active and had just finished a round trip, which took him to Hampshire for Christmas with his daughter and to Cheshire to see his son at New Year.  He will be greatly missed.

Wylda Holland