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A Letter from the Rector
Recently, I was reading through 1 Corinthians, which is a letter from St Paul to the people of Corinth, a place I visited in July 2018. I actually stood on the very spot where anyone wishing to speak publicly would have stood in the time of Paul. And so, it follows that this was the very spot Paul first preached the good news of Jesus to the Corinthians.
The letter, numbered one of two, as we have two such letters, is believed to be part of a set of four. The letters are in response to the concerns of some of the people in the church in Corinth regarding standards of behaviour within the church. This response has been used throughout the churches’ history to give guidance on how Christians should conduct themselves.
I know you are thinking, “well you wouldn’t think so by what we so often see today.” You would be right. Interpretation is often the cause of debate and sadly, painful disagreement. This is ironic because the letter is intended to do the opposite. We do not have the information Paul received to which he was responding. That would help no end, many suggest. I suggest that the fact we do not have that information encourages us to consider Paul’s advice in our own current context.
The difficulty does not lie in what is written, but in the superficial interpretation. Some people try to make what is written support what they believe. When it comes to the Word of God, it means what it is saying to you at that moment in time. The only way to understand what God is sharing with us is to discern such, spiritually. This very letter tells us that the cleverest of people, without God’s spirit, know little of God. Whilst those of whatever ability can, with God’s spirit, understand a great deal.
This is the answer we should give when people claim they are Christian but do not need to go to church. We do not go to church to agree with each other. We go to church to support each other as a community, being tolerant of difference, whilst lovingly building each other up. It is by serving the will of God in our community, as community, that we are gifted God’s insight.
We will never find it doing our own thing. We are only privileged by God’s intervention if we live a life for Him. A life that sees us help and love the people around us. Not just those like us, but all people, even those we disagree with.
Rev Barry
Diary: St Peter and St Paul, Saltwood
Our regular pattern of worship includes a service every Sunday at 10am. Usually this is Holy Communion (to which all are welcome, whether or not you choose to receive communion) with a Family Service on the fourth Sunday of each month. Other services of Holy Communion, including ‘Book of Common Prayer’ services at Saltwood and Pedlinge, are shown on the website calendar, along with all services and events for the month.
Sunday Club, for children aged 3 – 10 is held at 10am in the Lads’ Club, on the fist and third Sundays in term time.
Some highlights for your diary include:
| Monday 4th | 14.00 | Monday Chats in the Lads’ Club 9and each following Monday) |
| Wednesday 6th | 10.00 – 11.30 | Saltwood Toddlers in the Lads’ Club (and each following Wednesday) |
| Thursday 7th | 19.00 | Choir Practice (and each following Thursday) |
| Saturday 9th | ‘Ride and Stride’ event (see the Church Warden’s item) | |
| Wednesday 13th | 14.00 | Cinema Club in the Lads’ Club |
| Saturday 16th | 15.45 | MESSY CHURCH in the Lads’ Club |
| Saturday 23rd | 14.00 | Wedding: Jess and James |
| Sunday 24th | 14.00 | Wedding: Rona and Richard |
Items for the October Magazine
If you have any items for the October edition of the magazine, please forward to Beth Lewsey, by: 24th September
by email if possible, to: parishmagazine@saltwoodchurch.org
or deliver to 20 Castle Avenue. (Tel 01303 264577)
Useful Contacts
Rector – Rev Barry Knott: Telephone: 01303 883243 email: rev.barry@icloud.com
Church website: www.saltwoodchurch.org
Community Support Hub: 01303 269602
Parish Pastoral Support: 0300 030 1330
Children & Families Ministry (including weddings and baptisms) – Christine Clover:
Telephone: 0300 030 1662 email: christineclover@lympneandsaltwoodchurches.uk
Lads’ Club Bookings: Jan Heard 01303 266945 email: jan.entendu@gm
Parish Magazine: Beth Lewsey 01303 264577 email: parishmagazine@saltwoodchurch.org
From the Parish Records
We welcome into the family of the Church:
Zachary Bright, whose baptism was on 2nd July
Rod Collins, whose baptism was on 23rd July
Louie Thomason Higgin, whose baptism was on 6th August
Cicily and Xander Maiden-Brooks, whose baptisms were on 13th August
Kitty Calver-Simmons, whose baptism was on 20th August
Our love and sympathy go to the family and friends of:
Maureen Lester, whose funeral was on 20th July
Harold Clapinson, ‘Roy’, whose funeral was on 21st July
Mary Wales, whose funeral was on 28th July
Intercessions for September
Today we pray especially for:
1 Those who live in Castle Road, Kiln Corner, The Close and Castle Crescent
2 Businesses in our parish
3 The Barnabas Trust
4 Those struggling with addiction, thinking particularly of those known to you
5 St Mary & St Ethelburga Lyminge, St Mary Postling and All Saints Stanford
6 Those who live in Cylinder Road and Freshfield Lane
7 Christian communities facing persecution
8 Our ministry team
9 Village community groups
10 Our own discipleship as a community of faith
11 Those who live in Fairlight Road and Harpswood Lane
12 Carol Cooke and John Campbell, our Churchwardens, and the members of the PCC
13 Our local hospitals and Tricia Hill who leads the Canterbury hospital chaplaincy team
14 The King and the Royal Family
15 Those with physical and mental health needs and those who care for them, thinking particularly of those known to you
16 Our prayer groups
17 Those who live in New Road and The Coppice
18 Messy Church
19 Deanery Synod, its committees and officers
20 St Mary & St Eanswythe Folkestone, and St Peter Folkestone
21 Those who live in Tanners Hill, Tanners Hill Gardens and Deedes Close
22 Barry, our Rector
23 The bereaved and those who care for them, thinking particularly of those known to you
24 Esuubi – Ugandan Orphans
25 Saltwood Primary School – Paul Newton, his staff and pupils
26 Those who live on The Green, Old Saltwood Lane and Conway Close
27 St Luke Hawkinge and St Martin Acrise
28 Rose, Bishop of Dover and Darren, Archdeacon of Ashford
29 Mission Aviation Fellowship
30 Our Toddler groups
A Prayer for the month of September
September is the start of a new academic year – and an opportunity for all of us to pray for fresh learning and insight:
Bless us, O Lord, in our teaching and learning.
Give to enquiring minds wisdom and understanding.
Inspire us all with your justice and peace and bring us always to delight in your truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(From the diocese of St Albans)
Prayer Meetings
Sundays at 9 40 am in Saltwood Church
Fridays at 9am in Saltwood Church
Please note the following for September:
Wednesday 6 September at 2 30 pm, our Afternoon Prayer meets at the home of Penny Forsyth, 34 Harpswood Lane. You will be very welcome to join us. There is always lots to pray for be it worldwide topics, or closer to home – our own country, village, family and perhaps people who are suffering and in need of some prayer input.
Evening Prayer Wednesday 27 September – we are meeting at 7 30 at the home of Joan Hawkins, 46 Brockhill Road, and as Joan has a piano and Richard does not need much of an excuse to play it, we thought we would have an evening of Praise and Prayer. Again, we would love you to join us to lift our voices and sing praises to our Heavenly King.
A new Prayer Ministry
A new Prayer Ministry will be offered at the end of Sunday morning services at Saltwood. Members of the Prayer Ministry Team have completed a Diocesan training course at The Living Well and done the required Safeguarding training. They will be commissioned at the morning service on 27th August. Anyone in the congregation is welcome to receive personal prayer, for themselves or for someone else or for a national or global situation. You do not have to share any sensitive details and you will not be asked any intrusive questions. All the team members are excited about this new ministry and we’re praying it will be a blessing for our whole Church.
Any questions about this to Rev Barry, or Stella Hawes.
September brings a return to work and school. With this in mind…
Arouse yourself, gird your loins, put aside idleness, grasp the nettle, and do some hard work. – St Bernard of Clairvaux
Only the educated are free. – Epictetus
‘Wardens’ Corner’
… some notes from John Campbell, one of our Church Wardens
All welcoming teams should know that we have changed the way the offering is counted. This is not change for the sake of it but because unknowingly we hadn’t been adhering to the CofE regulations. The changes are necessary, and I would ask all team leaders to be aware of this. I will be sending an email to you all spelling out the changes shortly, and you may well have had it by the time this is published. Nevertheless, it’s important that all the congregation should know that we don’t take the handling of their financial gifts casually.
Ride and Stride.
As you know this will happen on Saturday, 9th September. Having said we were going to Dover it’s now all change and once again we are going to Canterbury. We will be walking around the Canterbury churches, but feel free to do your own thing if you want to. Just take a sponsorship form from the back of the church and complete the form so we are aware of who is doing what.
After Service Coffee
You may have noticed we have been stacking the wooden chairs after the service to give more room for circulation during coffee. This has generally been welcomed. If you are sitting in this area as the service ends, please be ready to move away, and indeed help stack the chairs. It only takes a minute or so.
Monday Chats
Monday 4th September from 2pm to 4pm, Monday Chatterers are gathering again in the Lads’ Club. After a month’s break there will be lots of chattering to catch up on. Our cake makers are sorting out their cake recipes and Geoff will be sorting the bingo cards and pens. Everybody is welcome so please come and join us for a warm and welcoming afternoon.
Saltwood Harvest Lunch
A date for your diary:
‘Bring and Share’ Harvest Lunch in the Lads’ Club at 12.30 on Sunday 1st October
Saltwood Cinema Club
Will be showing
‘‘SUMMERLAND”
on Wednesday 13th September
at 2pm at the Lads’ Club
This film stars Gemma Arterton, Penelope Wilton, Tom Courtney and a host of other stars and tells the story of Alice who is a reclusive writer, resigned to a solitary life on the seaside cliffs of Southern England while World War II rages across the channel. She finds her life up-ended when a young evacuee from the London Blitz is left in her care. Initially she is resolved to be rid of him, however it is not long, before the two realise they have more in common in their pasts than Alice had assumed. Alice finds herself opening her heart in this moving story of womanhood, love and friendship,
Cost £5 per person to include tea and cake
All proceeds to the Lads’ Club Funds
Saltwood Church Choir
Saltwood Church has an active choir which lead music at the regular service of Holy Communion on Sundays at 10:00 and for occasional services of sung evensong as well as special services for the Major Festivals, weddings and funerals. The choir rehearses weekly on Thursday evenings at 7:00pm but also meets occasionally outside weekly rehearsals.
Have you thought of joining our choir?
Most of our choir members have been singing in church choirs, choral societies and musical theatre for many years just for the enjoyment of singing in company. New members are very welcome to join us. You may be hesitant because you are not a regular churchgoer, or do not read music, an asset but not essential, and after a few weeks you will feel part of a like-minded group. There is no audition, just come along to the church on any Thursday evening at 7pm.
We re-start practices on 7th September, 2023
(The choir enjoying a social event)
Saltwood Toddlers
If you go down to the woods today ….
On 12th June Saltwood Toddlers celebrated the end of the summer term with their annual Teddy Bears’ Picnic. Our grateful thanks go to Christine Dodd, who again opened her garden to us, providing a perfect venue. The weather was kind, so the children could have a lovely time playing on the grass, and by the time dark clouds came over, with just one or two threatening spots of rain, nobody noticed, as all had decamped to the wooded area to enjoy a time of singing, led by Maureen, before it was time to go home.
Saltwood Toddlers is any parent/grandparent/carer with children from birth until their third birthday and meets during school term time, each Wednesday, from 10.00 until 11.30 at the Lads’ Club. You are very welcome to come along – no need to book – or for more information, contact Christine Clover: christineclover@lympneandsaltwoodchurches.uk
Saltwood Choral Society
Saltwood Choral Society is also looking for singers
Starting on 13th September, join us on Wednesdays at 7.30pm
at Saltwood Primary School
to sing
Gilbert and Sullivan’s
‘The Pirates of Penzance’
For more information please contact:
Kate Dilks (Chair) 07743 686126
or
Susan Lewis (Secretary) 01303 268698
or
Find us on Facebook
A thought from the Editor
Although January is the start of our calendar year, for those involved in education, whether our local schools or the higher levels of academia,
the year begins in September. If you look at this edition of the magazine carefully, there are various references to this, in pictures and in word form. So maybe for all of us, this is a good time for a new beginning: to join a group such as Monday Chats, a prayer group, or one of the choirs. Perhaps the Rector’s letter, reminding us to be tolerant of the opinions of others, will nudge us to a new way of behaving to others. And if we don’t quite manage, how wonderful that every day gives the opportunity for a fresh start!
St Stephen’s Lympne
Services and events in September:
| 1st | Wedding: Mollie and Callum | 14.00 |
| 3rd | Parish Communion | 11.00 |
| 10th | Hooba Family Service led by Sunday Club | 11.00 |
| 16th | Wedding: Carrie and Nicholas | 13.00 |
| 17th | Parish Communion | 11.00 |
| 23rd | Coffee Morning | 10.30-12.30 |
| 24th | Parish Communion | 11.00 |
SUNDAY CLUB
Meets at The Lads’ Club, Rectory Lane, Saltwood, CT21 4QA,
10-11am during term time.
We have a wonderful time with all sorts of art & crafts and cooking, games and lots of drama. Fun groups for children aged 3-10 years. New faces are always very welcome.
For more information ring: Christine Clover on 0300 0301662,
text: 07379 877846 or email: christineclover@lympneandsaltwoodchurches.uk.
CLEANERS NEEDED
Would you be able to spend a couple of hours or so, say once a month or less, to go on a rota to help keep our lovely church clean and welcoming? You can work alone or with others, at a time to suit you. In addition, a couple of times a year, we organise a bigger group to carry out a deeper clean before Easter and Christmas.
If you would like to help, or for further information, please email fionajarvest22@gmail.com.
FUNDRAISING SOCIAL GROUP
We need more people to help us plan and organise events to raise money for the general maintenance of the church (always needed) plus the purchase of the chairs to replace the tired old benches, and towards supporting a variety of charities. It’s fun and a way to socialise and get to know more people. If you would like to get involved please email fionajarvest22@gmail.com.
LYMPNE FELLOWSHIP GROUP
On a lovely August afternoon, we thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to just socialise and chat among friends during our picnic lunch on the playing field. Although the weather had been rather suspect earlier, the sun shone on us and the temperature rose to a comfortable level. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
Lympne Fellowship normally meets at 1.15pm in the Harry Margary Hall on the 2nd Thursday of the month, with a programme of interesting and informative talks and activities. For further information about our group, please contact Jill Page on 01303 263756.
HARVEST
SHAL: Studying History and Archaeology in Lympne
SHAL Committee member, Janet Powell, was our speaker in July on the History of Tithes. A tithe was one tenth of the annual produce or earnings formerly taken as a tax for the support of the Church. Over the years it became a source of conflict. Tithes in Britain existed pre-1066 to support priests. By the Middle Ages it was one of the main sources of clergy income as produce from the glebe (church-owned land), either 10th sheaf of wheat or barley or 10th calf or lamb. The crops were distributed in large late medieval tithe storage barns, such as Maidstone and Lenham. In Tudor times farms were strips between two or three arable fields with rights to pastures/meadows. With more modern farming methods a new system redistributed land into smaller enclosures. The C19 Government could not contain lawlessness and discontent over payment of tithes. An 1836 Act requested maps with accuracy of land testified by Commissioners. Consequently there was significant costing providing relief to the poor. Workhouses were built such as one , now the 5 Bells pub at Brabourne, and the Elham one at Etchinghill. Opposition to tithe payments grew in centres such as Sandwich, the Weald and Romney Marsh. The 1930s witnessed increased refusal to pay the tithe by Kent non-conformists – farmers, shopkeepers and businessmen, led by Rev. Roderick Kedward, MP for Ashford. Janet’s fascinating insight talk referred to her late husband’s grandfather fighting to save his home as furniture was seized for the tithe, and recalled her father paying the tithe even in the late 1940s/early 1950s.
At our Tues. 19 Sept. meeting James Holman will give a presentation on ’Merscware: the people of the Marsh from the earliest times’.
Castle Green WI
President Julie Andrews welcomed 35 members and 5 guests to the July meeting. Apologies for absence were accepted.
Julie thanked hostesses Molly Morris and Alex Tubman and also Valerie Humphries for her lovely floral arrangement. Minutes of the last meeting were approved by members and signed by the President.
Members were given details of various forthcoming Federation events. Subgroups gave an update on their activities and future plans. Kay Hygate read out a lovely thankyou card from Ukrainian recipients of items donated following an appeal from Ukrainians living locally. Four large boxes of everyday items, such as soap toothpaste etc were sent to a rural village and orphanage in southeast Ukraine and were gratefully received.
Sue Hankins gave a comprehensive report of the National A.G.M. held in Cardiff this year. The national resolution to demand more action by Government on the reduction of pollution in rivers was passed by a large majority of the delegates.
A welcome coffee break followed, after which the speaker, Clive Nuttman, was welcomed. Clive is an expert on chalk grasslands, and he talked about Kent’s chalklands. Sadly, chalk grasslands are diminishing worldwide but 50% are found in the UK and Kent holds a large percentage of them due to a large deep and wide band of chalk. The famous White Cliffs of Dover are part of this. Modern pressures such as house building and farming methods can easily destroy the fragile top layer of chalk rich soil on which grow grasses and other plants. These grasslands are vital to the survival of flora and fauna, many of which are rare. Clive works with 50 volunteers at a small nature reserve in north Kent, Monkton, the site of a former chalk pit, to preserve and protect the special flora and fauna surviving there. There is a rich diversity of plants, flowers and insects, and also animals, including reptiles, birds etc. Rare orchids flourish and some rare butterflies both of which are native to Kent can be found and it is very important to protect them. Thanks to the hard work at Monkton and other areas of Kent, much of the precious grasslands will be protected and preserved for future generations to enjoy.
It was a most interesting but thought-provoking talk. Monkton reserve is open Tuesday to Friday and at weekends. Marjorie Mitchell gave the vote of thanks.
Next month’s meeting is on 8th September, when the talk will be ’50 ways to tie a scarf.’ Members asked to bring scarves to sell or swop.
Marjorie Mitchell
Finishing with a Smile …
… and still on the ‘academic year’ theme …
Two professors were sitting chatting on a veranda overlooking the sea, watching the sun set. The history professor asked the psychology professor, “Have you read Marx?”
To which the professor of psychology replied, “Yes, and I think it’s these pesky wicker chairs.”
