The Chaplain’s Blog

Sermon for Reader Service, 30-09-2023
Rebecca Greenough – LLM
I had to come into Truro early today, not just to make sure I was ready for the service, but to go to
the market to buy these. They are cherries, one of my favourite fruit. And I discovered they were
also my daughter’s favourite fruit when I first gave her some in the summer just before she was
one.
The only problem was that she also liked the feel of the stones in her mouth and didn’t want to give
then up. Clearly, they were a choking hazard so we came to an agreement that I wouldn’t give her
another cherry until she had given me the stone from the previous one.
We hit a problem however when we came to the last one. Obviously, she had no reason to give up
the last stone, so she naturally swallowed it. Despite her young age her reasoning and logic were
well and truly established. We are not born as empty vessels. We are born with a sense of self, with
personality. Probably the most important thing to achieve in a child’s first years is to get to know
who they are and not impose on them who we think they should be.


But God has none of those problems. He knows us from the moment we are formed, as David says
in Psalm 139
13 For you, God, created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.


God knows us perfectly, long before we are born, equally when we are ten, twenty or a hundred.
And his love for us is unconditional.


I am not saying that we remain the same throughout our lives, ‘we change with changing seasons’
but God doesn’t. He is a constant. And it is in this relationship with God, that we grow.
And so, with that in mind we find ourselves here, Readers, Licenced lay Ministers. Following a call
that has always been part of God’s plan for us. One which we may have been aware of for decades
or something that has come to light much more recently. I admit it came as a shock to me, but
when God calls, he calls! And he doesn’t take no for an answer.


Part of our training as Readers is through formation, the bringing together of our disparate parts, to
become one whole. Through this process we come to understand ourselves better. And as the 14th
C English mystic, Walter Hilton, explained – if we want to know God, look first to ourselves, because
we are all made in His image. And the better we understand ourselves, the better we come to know
God. Vital, as we train to be Readers and vital if we are to continue to grow as Christians.
But formation is only one part of our calling. We are all individuals and bring an array of qualities to
the Church. Some of us are teachers, preachers, evangelists, pioneers. Some are called to be there
for the housebound or bereaved. And all of us are called to be disciples and witnesses, the face,
voice and hands of Christ in the world.


As teachers, we are encouraged to help develop our students by giving guidance on areas that they
can improve on but to counter this by identifying what they are doing well. But, oh boy, the real
world seldom does that to us. The reality is closer to what we heard in our first reading. One long
list of do nots. One must search for the positive amongst the rough ground we often find ourselves
in. But sometimes in order to grow, we must first acknowledge and overcome the ‘do nots’.
If we are to grow God’s Kingdom on Earth we have to climb through the metaphoric jungle of
weeds that surround us, only then can we discern what God wants us to do and what he wants us
to be. This takes faith, which is itself a gift to us from our redemptive God.


As the Sower, in our Gospel reading, broadcasts his seeds widely it is inevitable that some seed will
fall on unfruitful ground. It is inevitable that some will fall on good earth, only to be choked by
weeds. But some will fall on good, rich and fruitful ground in which the seeds will flourish.
As disciples we cannot know which soil will be the most fertile and productive. This is why we have
to broadcast our seed as far as we are able. What may at first glance appear to be the best ground
may actually be shallow and barren. And equally what does not look very promising may be exactly
where God is looking to plant his seeds of love, redemption, and eternal life.
When things feel insurmountable, we need courage and faith as we go forward. God has his own
plans for us and by his grace we are here, now, responding to his call. Known, and enveloped in his
love.
Amen

­­188                 Thought for the Day – Trinity XVIII

                                                               By Didymus

Evensong:

Prov. ch.2, vv1-11

1 John ch.2, vv1-17

Gospel: Mark ch.10, vv2-16.

Well, we have some interesting and thought provoking readings this week.  My old friend the Book of Proverbs starts magnificently with a lecture of wisdom, the love of God and the respect for his wishes.  Proverbs has wisdom running through its very spine.  John’s letter dwells on the sanctity of marriage, which will not go down well among those with problems of a sexual nature.  Mark speaks of the same topic.

God made us as we are, and loves us as his own.  Yet the emerging problems with gender and matrimony lead us away from the Biblical teaching.  Quite how the churches can deal with this problem is difficult to say.   I do not feel that Jesus would have withheld his love from a same-sex union.  I hope that however the church varies the procedures to accommodate the needs of faithful people, God in his loving mercy will forgive what might be seen as sinful by some.

On Friday we remember a man who, if the CofE had recognised sainthood, would surely have been canonised.  William Tyndale, priest, translator and martyr.  Tyndale was one of the people who realised that there was something completely wrong with the church.  His objective and that of his friends (paraphrased) was to place in each church a translation of Holy Scripture which would enable the man (or woman) in the pew to hear and read the words of God.   He once rebuked a senior priest – “I defy the Pope and all his laws; and if God spares my life, ere many years, I will cause the boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scriptures than thou dost!”

In the 16th century, England was a member of the RC church.  The services were in Latin, and only the priests were, I believe, communicated.  Thus one might say, the tradition of taking the congregation for granted became an integral part of church life.  Worse still the church charged for indulgences, such as absolution, baptism, and so on.  The church used a derivative of the Vulgate, the Latin version of the Codex Vaticanus Bible, dating back to the 4th century produced mainly by Jerome.  The copies in use were imperfect, and even RC theologians were worried about the errors, and still more about the degree of understanding by the parish priests.

The first to study the earliest documents was a philosopher, John Wycliffe, in the late 14th century.  He produced English translations for his students.  Others followed his work both here and on the Continent.  The discovery of people translating Latin into English caused a furious reaction in the RC church, and those who were caught were denounced as heretics and executed.   This struck at the power of the church to continue soaking congregations for indulgencies, and had to be stamped out.

A number of prominent scholars were at work, but it was Tyndale, an exceptionally learned and faithful man from Gloucestershire, who led the translation of much of the Bible into English.  He excelled at Oxford and was made a priest, moving to Cambridge as an instructor.  The fury of the RC church was such that in 1524 he fled to Belgium to continue his work.  Curiously, his predecessor at Cambridge was a Dutchman, Erasmus, a brilliant RC priest, who was concerned at the errors and poor understanding by the RC church priesthood.

The invention of the printing press in 1436 by Johannes Gutenberg had flourished, and by the 1520s, Tyndale and others could have their translations printed by Merten de Keyser and circulated in England.  A desperate church bought up copies for burning, which simply financed further copies.  People in Europe of the same mind used the same methods to spread their words.  Copies had actually reached King Henry VIII. 

In 1536, two years after the CofE was formed, agents of the RC church located Tyndale, arrested him and executed him by strangling and burning at the stake.  His dying words were “Lord! Open the King of England’s eyes.”  Within three years Henry had ordered that each church would have a Bible in English and someone to read it.

Tyndale’s work had precipitated an avalanche, and it was taken up by Myles Coverdale, Bishop of Exeter, and Thomas Rogers, who produced the first English Bible in 1535.  During the reign of Queen Mary, work continued abroad.  The Geneva Bible, comprising 90% of Tyndale’s work, was produced in 1560, now with numbered verses.  By 1582 the RC church accepted that the day had been lost, and commissioned an English translation.  The Geneva Bible went to America with the Pilgrim Fathers, and was accepted by the Puritans later on.

In 1611 the Authorised Version was approved by King James, and became known as the King James Version.  It is a translation dearly loved by so many, who were brought to Christian faith by its rolling Shakespearean passages, many of which have passed into our language.   Approximately 80% comes from Tyndale’s hand

I am sorry for those who regard the KJV with anathema, for they lose so much.   The English language is beautiful and capable of expressing emotion, wonder, visions and even spirituality as well as much else in the day.  Read it, several times if necessary, and think about it, rather like a glass of whisky, port or wine.  (Teetotallers? – Ed).  Think what the original writers were trying to say.

I am tempted to say that if it doesn’t strike any chords in you, give up and go back to the Mail or the Sun.  (Naughty – Ed)

I remember being taken to task by a very dear friend because there was no KJV in church.  OK, I’ll get one was my reply.  I spoke to the Rural Dean, there being an interregnum (You’ll get burnt as well my lad!  Interregnum – we only have transitions now.  People are too dense to understand Latin – Ed). 

The RD said “What on earth do you want that for?  Nobody uses that now.  I’ve no idea where you would get one.” 

I gave up, disgusted.

I should add that the deeds of the RC church centuries ago, referred to above, bear no relationship to our sister church today.  In the past it was our church as well, and since 1534 our record as the CofE has not been perfect.

The illustrations are of Tyndale, Wycliffe and Coverdale.  In our prayers let us remember those who gave everything, so that we may read of the life-giving words of God.

AMEN

well that was an interesting week…  someone for Spiritual Direction on Monday- thankfully they were very cheerful and reasonably happy with how things were going! Tuesday morning is our normal Ministry Team meeting here in Redruth which seems doubly important in this time of transition when looking after our curate and each other as the work-load increases.  I also had a Wardens Group meeting which discussed amongst other things the final details for the service on Saturday so I crept off into the Curate’s study and logged into ZOOM for an hour before rejoining the original meeting. Thankfully there were still some biscuits! In the afternoon I met with one of our ‘retired clergy’ to plan the informal harvest service for two churches- but that will keep for the moment- but that is what the picture is for. 

Wednesday and Thursday were two full one days with a lovely group of people who were inspiring and engaging – but it made me think so hard that my brain was exhausted and I need my Friday morning to catch up on the emails for the week, safeguarding requests and so on.  Saturday of course was the Readers service and what a joy that was!

The new precentor Sue Wallace brough a breath of fresh air – almost flying in to the canon’s vestry where I was chatting to the brand new Readers about to be licenced. She managed to smile through most of the organisation over the next couple of hours and I made a point of thanking her afterwards not just for me but for the readers as a body. 

 

who's that old bloke in the blue scarf?
Single use plastic harvest

Having had such a busy week I had little time to prepare anything particularly new for  the two harvest services this morning so I wet for my trusty harvest assembly kit of some paper plates and 21 or so plastic cups.  its an all action  give the cups out to various groups around the church and see how the worlds resources are shared… and then linking that with the gospel about the rich man and building barns…. 

They all seemed to love the idea and the activity and even the sermon…. but Redruth Town has ‘banned single use plastic’ and we have a Creation Care crusader who I knew would take me to task. It cut no ice that I said that if I replaced the cups with others I would have to throw these away and that would contribute to the plastic waste.  The discussion was curtailed by having to go off to harvest number two…. but it made me ponder about the things that keep us from God’s view of things. 

Jason, our assisting minister took a couple of photographs during rehearsals beforehand which he posted on social media. I peered at the blue scarved figure deep in conversation with Canon Paul and Bishop Hugh and mused about how old he looked….  then I realised it was me. 

More About the Reader Celebration

It was wonderful to catch up with folk I had not seen for some time and to hear about answered prayers. 

It was also wonderful to see Readers who I had known since they began training preaching, leading the prayers and reading- apart from Deryck that is who after 57 years of Reader Ministry is hanging up his scarf. How fabulous to hear him read the gospel as a last part of that ministry. 

More about the service when I get the official photographs. 

Last Monday I went to the introductory session of Sens Kernewek, The Saints Way, course which laid out the plan for the next 14 sessions and the commissioning of some local leaders.

I don’t really see myself as leading any one church but I do see myself as a key player in our church ministry team  as well as part of the leadership team for the Readers in the guise of the Warden’s Group and so on. 

So why Sens Kernewek?

Firstly, by the end of the course I want to be able to speak about it with first hand knowledge.

Secondly, it is important o get outsssde one’s normal pattern and speak to people in other situations. 

Third some personal challenge especially in focussing my reflections. It is all too easy to be so embedded in Benefice life that we do not see the bigger picture. The diocese for example becomes “them” and or own patch becomes “us”  and spiritual / theological manure rains down from on high. Now if we are happy being parochial we could go on with that metaphor and suggest that the gifts from above can be seen as just so much dung or it can be seen as fertilizer to help growth.

I would rather everyone saw themselves as ‘The Diocese’ we are all in this together. hmmmmmmmm …… a thought……..

One of the challenges set for Sens Kernewek is to read a book of the Bible we had not read for a while- or indeed a book we had never read. My mind went immediately to the book of Amos which I did read many moons ago.  The example of Amos the Prophet watching the world go by while tending his figs or whatever fruit it was appealed to me greatly.

In the circular from the Center for Action and Contemplation today, Richard Rohr writes about prophets as inside outsle people and comments that ithe longer we are in an organisation the harder it is to be critical of it……. email.cac.org/t/d-e-vtittn-tlkrdthytr-f/  but it is better to click the link and read it for yourself. 

Sens Kernwek is certainly already accomplishing my hope of challenging me to think! 

email.cac.org/t/d-e-vtittn-tlkrdthytr-f/

 

 

When the rector announced that he had been appointed Rector of Calne (somewhere east of the Tamar) I found myself the link person between the Transitions Adviser and everyone else…. it meant work, but then it also meant that I could have some input. I am a firm believer in putting one’s money where one’s mouth is!

So the first thing I did was to send out a questionnaire to as many people in the five churches as I could reach – link here… 

The response was excellent and the next task was to compile the responses into some sort of working document for discussion by the various church councils. The compiled responses can be seen at the bottom of our vacancies webpage. 

There was now much trading of text between church wardens, keen folk on various church councils and our excellent transitions adviser (Andy Harris) who managed, skillfully, to make us focus on that which was most important.

We are now on version eleven of the document ready for a chat with the archdeacon and the PCCs next week. I really hope I do not have to change much now.  The knock-on effects for me have been to do with the sheer hoovering up of time! People have been wonderfully diligent in spotting typos, grammatical errors, incorrect service times, things that need mentioning….. things that should not be mentioned but each one takes time to correct and time to disseminate the new working of the document.  

The thing that surprised me most, and I suppose it should not have done,  was how much unity there was between our churches and how much desire there was to work as a team.  Team work or the lack of team seems to be the cause of most of the problems for Readers that land on my desk but in Redruth we have been fortunate in having a strong team that meets weekly for discussion, prayer and support and the thought of losing that to ‘father (or mother) knows best’ type of priest who takes everything on themselves and does not know how to consult or delegate effectively is a worrying one. 

The person specification is important is such an important part of the process- which should guide the questions for interview. 

In amongst all that profile writing has been planning the rota for the next six months…. Caspar was really keen to make sure he left us with as much in place as he could….  taking on some extra funerals and so on. 

Our Curate, now in his second year has a suddenly increased workload….. and the rest of us , congregations and churchwardens as well as the ministry team have a duty of care!  I wonder how many priests face burn out because of workload and unreasonable expectation.

 

I know many of you are going through periods of transition – if you would like to share your experience please do let me know 

 

Essential

Desirable

·         Be an experienced team leader (in any context) having a heart for identifying and encouraging vocations in the widest sense of the word.

·          

·         Excellent communication skills, a pastorally minded active listener, comfortable with talking to young and old alike.

·         Have experienced or have perspective of working life beyond the church.

Be inclusive, with a heart for diversity- a servant who serves all God’s people with tenderness and humility and open arms.

·         Be competent with Information Technology including ZOOM.

Be a person of prayer and sensitive to the call of the Holy Spirit for themselves and for their people, with the ability to help us in evolving and developing our vision.

·         Can show experience of working with young people and children, and the frail elderly and/or housebound.

·         Be flexible and able to work with a range of churchmanship valuing individual traditions and have a heart for ecumenism across denominations and faiths, especially in building relationships with the Methodist Circuit.

·         Understand what is required to work with deprived communities.

·          

Have a good sense of their own strengths and weaknesses and ability to delegate appropriately.

Full driving licence

Erm…… There’s No Hole……

 

A while ago in the blog I wrote about the privilege of taking the funeral service for an ex-student of mine – a young mum who I had sat down with and planned her funeral the year before she died. A couple of weeks ago I was to preside over the interment of her ashes at St Euny in Redruth.

Because I expected quite a group, there were about 20 folks who gathered, I planned to begin the service in the church lighting candles around the container with the ashes while we shared memories, read a psalm and said some prayers before heading up to the churchyard for the interment.  I had enlisted our newest Reader, Jason, to assist – a good move because he has a key to st Euny and I would be sure of the Church being open.

Out early dog walking I made sure I passed the churchyard and the likely interment spot to check where it would be……. But I could find no evidence of any preparation by the stone mason. “never mind,” I thought, “plenty of time- he is probably going to come in the hour efore the service begins.”

I arrived three quarters of an hour before the start time of 9am and still no sign of the mason. The family began  arrive……..

As ZOOM morning prayer was at 9 and I knew that Caspar, the rector was leading that morning I quickly logged on and explained before they began. Caspar in his normal phlegmatic calmness sai he had a spade in the garage and would come down and dig a hole if nothing had happened by the end of morning prayer.

Andy, the husband of the Anna whose ashes we were burying arrived and he tried to phone the mason who it turned out was on holiday in Croatia! So it was a message to Caspar who said he would message when the hole was ready. Jason, luckily had discovered the commemorative slab wrapped in sack leaning against a nearby tree.

So the little service in the church grew with not only lighting our candles but also blowing them out with some ceremony before leaving the church. Luckily I have a store of extra poems and readings I the back of my funeral folder which meant I had enough material to keep going until the message arrived and we were able to head for the church yard.

The family and friends were all amazingly supportive and felt that the occasion had been very special. You can imagine my personal prayers of thanks!! 

Lesson learned about checking fully for each occasion- I hate to think what would happen if a grave had not been prepared!

The Burial of Ashes 

 

Introduction and Welcome and we invite those present gather around the ashes.

 

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Though we are dust and ashes, God has prepared for those who love him a heavenly dwelling place.  As we prepare to commit ANNA’s ashes to the earth, we entrust ourselves and all who love God to his loving care.

 

We light candles around the ashes as we listen to one of Anna’s favourite songs “a thousand years” by Christina Perri .  

 

A reading from Psalm 139

 

O Lord, you have searched me out and known me; you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar.

You mark out my journeys and my resting place and are acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word on my tongue, but you, O Lord, know it altogether.

You encompass me behind and before and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, so high that I cannot attain it.

 Where can I go then from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?

If I climb up to heaven, you are there; if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.

If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there your hand shall lead me, your right hand hold me fast.

If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me and the light around me turn to night,’

Even darkness is no darkness with you; the night is as clear as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike.

I thank you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are your works, my soul knows well.

 

The Sharing of memories

Let us pray: Heavenly Father,

we thank you for all those whom we love but see no longer.

As we remember ANNA in this place,

hold before us our beginning and our ending,

the dust from which we come and the death to which we move,

with a firm hope in your eternal love and purposes for us,

in Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN

 

Reading: 1 Corinthians 13

 

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.

It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices in the truth.

It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.

And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

 

A time of prayer ending with the words Jesus gave his disciples:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come; thy will be done 

on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

 

We process to the place of burial

 

God our Father, in loving care your hand has created us,

and as the potter fashions the clay you have formed us in your image. Through the Holy Spirit you have breathed into us the gift of life. In the sharing of love you have enriched our knowledge of you and of one another. We claim your love today, as we return Anna’s ashes to the ground in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life.

 

In the name of the all-powerful Father, in the name of the all-loving Son, in the name of the all-pervading Spirit:

we pray that you be free from dependence upon human ties,

that you may free as the wind,  soft as sheep’s wool, straight as an arrow; and that you may journey into the Heart of God,

 

Lay the Ashes as these words are said

 

Into the darkness and warmth of the earth we lay you down.

Into the sadness and smiles of our memories we lay you down.

Into the cycle of living and dying and rising again we lay you down.

May you rest in peace, in fulfilment, in loving.

May you run straight home into God’s embrace.

 

Minister

God of hope, grant that we, may be united in the full knowledge of your love and the unclouded vision of your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

The Dismissal

May the infinite and glorious Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, direct our life in good works, and after our journey through this world grant us eternal rest with all the saints.  Amen.

 

Latest News:

We welcome four new Readers in Training who will be starting with SWMTC in the Autumn.  Claire, Richard, Joanna and Mary…. welcome to the Reader Community! Please add them to your prayer lists as they embark upon their studies at the beginning of their Reade journey.

It was a privilege and a joy to be part of the interviewing panel and to be part of the discernment process which is much MUCH more rigorous that it was in 1986 when I began Reader studies! 

Reader Service Details_ please put this in your diaries and make this a wonderfully celebratory event- especially as support to those who are about to be licensed for the first time. 

 

Quiet Day at Epiphany house – Friday 28th July.

 Storytelling and Building Everyday Faith – Epiphany House

Good to know it is going ahead with a cluster of bookings 🙂 

 

I am leading a quiet day on Friday 28th of July to which anyone is welcome….. but booking is essential through Epiphany House.  

Please book a.s.a.p. the last one was cancelled and several people were disappointed because they had  not got round to booking. 

Cost £25.00 to include all hot drinks & a light lunch, for all information and to book a place please contact bookings@epiphanyhouse.co.uk or call on Tel. 01872 857953

Currently I am nursing a sore jaw and a sensitive tooth and occasionally feeling sorry for myself while wondering the ideal time to go back and do the negotiations with the dental surgery reception. I was delighted to get the emergency appointment to replace my broken filling – I only had to wait six weeks – however I fear more radical treatment may be required.  Possibly something to do with a partially impacted wisom tooth.  

But I am lucky to be on the lists of an NHS surgery and to have receptionists to negotiate with having heard of so many people who cannot get a dentist at all, let alone an NHS dentist!  

So my stock of Sensodyne is helping…. but the jaw is an irritation that gets in the way of thinking about important stuff like the next sermon…. or a creative way of doing a burial of ashes. Mind you, the Ashes cricket is also a distraction! 

In Redruth we are about to have a period of transition as our Rector, Caspar Bush heads up country to a new job at the end of August.  It has been interesting collecting up the views of folk in all our five churches – more about how i went about this and the questionnaire will appear in the next blog. Next week we have a ZOOM with our transition adviser and anyone from the various councils and congregations who want to take part so life should get interesting!

Yesterday I went down to Penzance for the funeral of my old friend John Wallis who gave so much, not only to reader ministry but also across many other areas. It was lovely to have a part to play in the service, reading a lesson… draping his Reader Scarf across the coffin and praying; i leave you with the prayer i used….

Loving Creator God

We give thanks today for the ministry of your servant, and our friend, John.

For the lives he influenced and the lives he touched.  

Through his ministry in education for children. teachers and parents

through his music his art and poetry

and- his balance and sanity when in tricky discussions. 

We thank you Lord, for all the moments he left with each of us. 

Today we are sorrowful as we celebrate john’s life

but in his words, “it is what it is!”

and we are grateful for all you inspired him to leave with us.

In Jesus’ name – Amen.

Rev Sian Yates writes:

I write to inform you that John Wallis, a Reader in the Penlee Cluster, died last night after a number of years of living with an aggressive cancer.

He has served the church and this diocese faithfully over many years both as a Reader and a Head teacher. Many years ago he also helped with writing the RE syllabus for the country and he brought great insights and sense of fun, along with an unswerving faith.

He was just so humbled last week when bishop Graham said that he would visit him and pray with him on Thursday when he came to Newlyn for a confirmation….real tears of joy. Bishop Graham was the person who confirmed him many years ago.  Of course, he has not died before this was able to happen

So after prayers and Last Rites yesterday morning, and with his music grouo singing their hearts out and making a recording for John as the parish mass, John took his next steps towards his death, bravely, humbly and full of confidence. One of the pastoral team who is a nurse sat with them throughout the night until his death . 

John’s phrase of “‘Tis what it is my ‘ansome” summed up his philosophical approach to illness and life in general summoning up energy for his daily sketches and posts on Facebook and early in his journey with  cancer he even took on being deanery Reader Steward and attempted to promote meetings, a quiet day and prayer. He was a little disheartened that the response was less than he hoped but then not everyone had John’s passion! 

Rest in Peace John and Rise in Glory! 

As Chaplain to Readers I very much appreciated John’s wisdom and wit. He had the special talent of being able to sidetrack any discussion that was floundering and to insert a pithy comment that would temper a more extreme view.  I knew John  for many years, our paths in teaching crossing fairly frequently  – usually on courses but I got to know him much more in retirement in his last years as a driving force in the church and in his dedication to reader ministry. He was vociferous about the fact that when he had asked the bishop about being a reader, the (then) bishop had suggested ordination and John turned it down flat!  

Stroy Telling in Pennoweth primary school 

Every year since I retired from teaching I have given the teachers at Pennoweth an afternoon of story telling and music in the summer term so the children get something different and the teachers get some time for reports or the million and one other things they need to do when not actually teaching.

I find it really annoying when i see the posts in social media about children needing to be taught manners or about worsening behaviour because over the years the evidence has been to the contrary and this year has proved no exception. the children have all been a delight and make an excellent audience able to listen and participate with enthusiasm. what a fab job their teachers do! 

the Nature of Retirement

I have always believed the retirement is work without the benefit of a pay cheque – or these days a monetary payment into one’s account, and, that the drawback of retirement, apart from increasing decrepitude, is not getting a day off! 

However, having retired from teaching in 2009, I would far rather be useful and busy than be slowly assimilated into an armchair before the wonders of daytime TV- even if the cricket is on. 

in the last week, we have had the delights of the annual Arts Festival at St Andrews in Redruth- organised as always by my lovely wife who, despite rattling like a maraca with pills to stave off heart failure attacks these things with huge enthusiasm and drags everyone else along with her.  My jobs have included collecting our grandson from school, running a clay workshop making grotesques, running a story making workshop for 10 year olds and driving back and forth as requested. 

 

Quiet Day at Epiphany house – Friday 28th July.

 

 Storytelling and Building Everyday Faith – Epiphany House

 i am leading a quiet day on Friday 28th of July to which anyone is welcome….. but booking is essential through Epiphany House.  

Please book a.s.a.p. the last one was cancelled and several people were disappointed because they had  not got round to booking. 

Cost £25.00 to include all hot drinks & a light lunch, for all information and to book a place please contact bookings@epiphanyhouse.co.uk or call on Tel. 01872 857953.

Transition and other Business

With our rector (and rural dean)  leaving us for a new challenge across the border in England we are about to go into transition and so i am thoroughly involved in trying to coordinate, collate, collect and otherwise communicate between the congregations of five churches.  What we will come up with for our parish profiles and person specifications remain to be seen but my own list of attributes would include:

  • A prayerful listener who is…..
  • used to running / working with teams who…
  • knows their own limitations and can delegate appropriately
  • Someone who has a heart for equality and diversity who will encourage and develop the vocations of all involved in our churches at whatever level.
  • Someone prepared to take a risk and to encourage others to push the boundaries. 

What would your list be?

  •  

Assistant Chaplains

I am delighted that we are in the process of recruiting some Assistant chaplains who will be on post once we find time to do due diligence to Safer Recruiting which is an imperative in these days of Safeguarding. More news soon.

Discernment

Yesterday I spent most of the day at Church House in Threemilestone with the panel and two dedicated and selfless people who had put themselves forward to train as Readers. 

They had been asked to prepare two tasks  including chairing a group discussion on a passage they found tricky and telling a story to illustrated a Bible reading for an inter-generational service. Between tasks they met the warden’s group whilst balancing coffee and cake as they spoke and in the afternoon they had lengthy conversations / interviews with the selection panel. 

Over the years that I have been involved in the discernment for new Readers the process has become much more rigorous and the demands of training every higher. I trained with a colleague in the Redruth Team with a Tutor based in a nearby parish, the Rev David Stephens who set and marked our essays. I remember going to a few lectures in Truro with Canon Peter Boyd and doing a placement of sorts in another setting, the local Methodist circuit.  I managed to complete the course and be licensed back in 1988 while working full time as a Primary School deputy head teacher and with a young family.  I really doubt whether anyone in their thirties with a full time job and young family could train these days. I certainly could not although the study part was relatively easy following on the back of a Masters dissertation and an NPQH!

These days training with the ordinands is a wonderful opportunity especially when we rely on teams to run our multi-church clusters and benefices. 

these days all the trainees have to attend 7 weekend sessions at MARJON in Plymouth and 14 reflective practice groups in Turo. Before that they must complete the Foundations in Christian Ministry Course ad afterwards complete the rigours of the very practical post Licensing year.  Only after all that is done will a full three year license be granted.

It would be good to record here any thoughts you have about your own path to Licensed Lay Ministry and any thoughts you have about how training might be done differently for today’s needs. 

i have signed up for some training myself with the next Sens Kernewek Course which i am thoroughly looking forward to having heard excellent feedback from other Readers who have attended. 

 

Visitors

For the last three weeks we have had a friend to stay and as a result the Garden has been transformed and many tasks that I have had on my To-do list for the past several years have been completed.  ( I will post some pictures at the bottom later) 

Having a visitor, especially a really helpful visitor, is great but it changes all routines and as I get older I value my times of solitary meanderings more and more.  Those times of prayer are time to mull over sermon thoughts, to pray for those in particular need and for others more generally and when that time goes there is certainly  a sense of something missing. 

There is however ‘no rest for the wicked’, as my mother used to say. This week we have readers in Conversation tomorrow morning and safeguarding training in the afternoon supporting the new leadership course.  Tuesday morning is our weekly ministry team meeting where thankfully we will be discussing the readings I am preaching about next Sunday!  Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons are story telling in a local primary school and Thursday I am off to see my Spiritual director.  Everyone should have a spiritual Director!   



Life is somewhat hectic at the moment and the last couple of weeks especially busy with the Bishop’s study day in Wadebridge and Reader Day in St Petroc’s with story telling afternoons in school in between – not to mention the second session of the new safeguarding leadership course which we leaders are getting our heads around.

The  All New Safeguarding leadership Course

The new course is markedly different to the old leadership course although still delivered on ZOOM. The training team have adopted it before any other diocese because we don’t want people to have to repeat the old course…. And because it means we can feed our experiences back to the national team who write the courses. We have already changed quite a lot of the language in the document which might cause confusion and irritable complaints! So if you are approaching the end of your three years since your last leadership course do book onto a new one and give the team some feedback to help shape the course for others.  It is all too easy to complain about courses and it takes a bit more effort to approach them positively with the aim of helping to make them really fit for purpose.

Book Safeguarding Leadership Training

Incidentally, if you need sample risk assessments for your church activities to get you started, Newcastle Diocese have a great resource here: Safeguarding Templates and Resources – Newcastle Diocese (anglican.org)

Back to being busy…. And some thoughts about the two study days.

I am not complaining about any of it however! It was wonderful to see a lot of colleagues at the two study days although with only about a quarter of the Readers at Bodmin on Saturday it did mean that many missed a thought-provoking and inspiring day.

Links to documents of which you should be aware:

The days were closely linked in many ways with 

The Diocesan Plan for Change and renewal being the common thread. Click the title to open the

32-page plan from the Diocesan website. Before you get too deep into the technical detail of the plan it is probably wise to go the 

The Saints Way Page which describes the Diocesan vision behind the plan. Simon Robinson, the interim Dean at the Cathedral spoke about his journey on the saints way to begin the day. His is an interesting story and much of what he said resonated with others, especially with those of us who spent a lifetime in schools.

The Saint’s Way document is here.

 

On Tuesday afternoon Professor David Ford joined us by Zoom from Germany to talk about his latest book, A Theological Commentary on the gospel of John.  it was a twenty year labour of love and he spoke with huge passion and enthusiasm about John being  a Gospel of abundant truth, life, and love. There is a brief biography of David at the bottom of this post. 

You can find the book here in various formats and various prices at Amazon 

 

Much as the worship was uplifting at the Bishops study day, the speakers thought-provoking and the food tasty, the best part of the day for me was catching up with a lot of folks I knew and making some new contacts! The bonus was being given a lift up and back from our Rector who is sadly leaving us in the Summer and having a good chat about all things benefice of Redruth.

As with many other places going into a period of transition or reorganisation it set me pondering on the tasks ahead, both in the sort and longer terms and how they would fit in with what we heard across the two days. 

  • Do we need to be better equipped?
  • What training / education do we need?
  • What does the Benefice and Diocese actually need of us and
  • have we the capacity to fill that need? 

 

Reader Day took a vast amount of preparation and we should be particularly grateful to Claire as our events administrator who managed it so admirably. It was a shame that less than a third of our number were there to take part in the workshops and listen to the speakers.

 

I attended two of the workshops, one on Sens Kernewek of which I need to find out more but have only heard good things from reader colleagues who have done it and Inter-generational Church with archdeacon Kelly. 

 

The line that stood out for me in the latter was that it was not ‘All age Worship’ which immediately piqued my interest and made me want to investigate much further than the time for a short workshop would allow. I will do another blog on All Age Worship and Family services in order to do that subject justice and to give me some thinking time. 

 

My main task at the Bishops’ study day was as chaplain, and even had a reserved seat near the door, but on Saturday it was to interview some willing readers about being community theologians. my thanks to Martin Smith. Kathryn Hill, Claire Charlton and Robin West for stepping up and speaking with such commitment.

 

Perhaps next year we can put Reader day in a less busy week so the poor folk who had chapter meetings, village events and other meetings can attend. 

 

Since the Session on Sens Kernewek I have applied to do the course – but I will save my thoughts on that for another blog post.

 

 

 

 

Together with Certain Women….

 

Just like a number of other readers / LLMs, I really enjoy the chance to take the service and preach in our local Methodist Circuit.  Last week I was in Troon for the first time since the pandemic and what a joyful bunch of folk they were although my choices of ‘All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name’ and ‘Jesus shall Reign we’re the Sun’  (because they were good singable tunes) backfired when they had different Methodist tunes  with extra twiddly bits that had me lost. 🙂 

It is a joy to have a little extra time to explore the readings and to set the challenge for the coming week and it is especially uplifting when, as at Troon, there are half a dozen folk who want to tell you things or ask about the sermon.

In these services I like to comment briefly on each reading as it is read, perhaps pointing out something that I will refer back to in the sermon. One of my throwaway remarks was after reading about the list of folks gathered to watch the drawing of lots to select the Judas replacement disciple. I noted the seeming dismissive way that women were almost begrudgingly included in the group. At the crucifixion – there is a similar phrase “there were also women…”  After the service on lady told me that her father and grandfather had been local preachers and when her grandfather died there had been a gathering of the great and good at a large funeral which was reported in the local press. The names of all the male dignitaries were mentioned and at the end was the line “and also there were women.” I make no further comment…… for the time being. 😊

 

Reader Joy Gunter is my conscience when it comes to prayer lists, often nudging me to send out a new one. I mentioned this at the Warden’s Meeting today and there was a reminder that all readers are included in the  Diocesan prayer list

 https://trurodiocese.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/DoT-Prayer-Diary-April-to-Jun-2023.pdf

 

In your prayers at the moment please include John and Sue, Christine, Becca, Garth, and Nigel. If you know of folk who need to be on our list or want to be included in mine and Joy’s prayers please do let me know!

 

 

Professor David F. Ford OBE is Regius Professor of Divinity Emeritus in the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Selwyn College. He was born in Dublin, read Classics at Trinity College Dublin, and then Theology and Religious Studies in Cambridge, Yale, and Tübingen. Prior to taking up his post in Cambridge he taught in the University of Birmingham (1976-1991), where he lived in the inner city and engaged in local church and community life and in urban theology.

Alongside continuing work on Christian theology and on inter-faith relations, Professor Ford’s current research includes work on the Gospel of John; glorification; theology, modernity and the arts; Scriptural Reasoning; contemporary worldviews; and education in schools and universities. 

Professor Ford has published numerous books in theology, including The Modern Theologians (3rd Edition edited with Rachel Muers,) Blackwell, 2005); Christian Wisdom: Desiring God and Learning in Love (Cambridge University Press, 2007); Self and Salvation: Being Transformed (Cambridge University Press 1999). His latest work is a commentary on John’s gospel.

Professor Ford was founding Director of the Cambridge Inter-faith Programme (2002-2015) and a co-founder of the inter-faith practice of Scriptural Reasoning. He was awarded the Sternberg Foundation Gold Medal for Inter-Faith Relations in 2008, the Coventry International Prize for Peace and Reconciliation in 2012 and an OBE for services to theological scholarship and inter-faith relations, in 2013. Professor Ford chaired the Theological Reference Group for a Church of England initiative launched in 2016, the Foundation for Educational Leadership, and is a trustee of the National Society, the Church of England organisation responsible for over a million pupils in state-funded church-related schools. He co-chairs the Rose Castle Foundation, a centre for reconciliation, inter-faith engagement, religious literacy, and conservation, the UK hub for Scriptural Reasoning, and chairs Faith in Leadership, which offers leadership training to emerging and established leaders from several religious traditions.

 

Professor Ford is a Lay Canon of Birmingham Cathedral and is married to Revd Deborah Ford who is an Anglican priest.

 

Reader Day 2023                          Saturday 13th May

 St Petroc’s Church, Priory Road, Bodmin, PL31 2DP. 

Parking is available at the Priory Park car park, with a short walk across the park.  Disabled access is available directly through the level access door and by assistance at the south door.

 ‘Readers in The Field’

The Harvest Is Plentiful; The Labourers Few

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.”  [Mt 9 35-38]

 Aims:

  • To worship our Lord together
  • To encourage Readers to feel valued
  • To think together about the calling of Readers as ‘Community Theologians…’
  • To update Readers on Next steps on the way, including Deanery plans and the Diocesan plan
  • To consider, individually and as a community of Readers, our part in the changes taking place

Timetable

 9.30am     Refreshments

please sign for workshops

 10am           Welcome

10.10am      Opening Worship

10.30am      Bishop Hugh

On the Way, the Deanery plans and the Diocesan plan;

with a time for questions and answers

11.15am      Refreshments

please sign for workshops

 11.40am      Dr John Ievins & Jim Seth

An introduction to the phrase, ‘Community theologians who preach, teach and enable everyday faith’

*        with details of forthcoming training sessions on the three elements: Community theologians; preach, teach and enable; everyday faith

*        and thoughts from some Readers on what the phrase,

‘Community Theologian’ means to them

12.30pm    Lunch [please bring your own] refreshments & chat

please sign for workshops

1.30pm Afternoon workshops.

 2 workshops of 40 mins each             1.30pm  //  2.20pm

 Local Ministry & Sens Kernewek – Bishop Hugh

This session will look at how we are developing Oversight and Local ministry in the diocese, including the content of the Sens Kernewek (Cornish Saints) course and how it equips people to lead a local church.

  • Creation Care & Net Zero – Rev Ben Lillie

A faithful response to our inherently green gospel of justice: Revd Ben Lillie diocesan environment officer.

The global response to climate crisis is one of the most important headlines on the agenda of young people.  How do we as the Church respond with hope, joy and compassion?  During this session we will reflect on scripture and walk through practical paths to action, whilst engaging in our diocesan environment strategy to Cherish Creation, Cut Carbon, Speak Up.

  • Serving Our Communities – Rev Haley Preston

Chaplaincy and Ministry within the Care Sector.

This workshop will be a fun and interactive session looking at the diverse needs of those who live and work within residential care communities, and how we can begin to understand and meet those needs through presence, creativity, worship and pastoral care.

  Intergenerational Church – Archdeacon Kelly

Offering some biblical background, this workshop will invite people to consider what we mean by intergenerational church, and then explore some things we may want to consider in becoming more intergenerational in our approach; how we can work towards growing churches in which everyone (regardless of age) can belong, find and express faith, and grow in gifts and service?  This whistle-stop introduction aims to whet the appetite!

  • International Links – David Fieldsend

One of the five priorities of the diocesan strategy ‘The Saints’ Way’ is: “A church that rejoices in strong, warm and mutually encouraging international links.” This workshop will explain the work of the diocesan international links committee and present existing international links at both diocesan and parish level and information as to how to develop and sustain such links.  Also, a chance for Readers already involved in international links to share their experience.

 2.50pm        We come together

how do we now see the future?

3.15pm        Closing Worship

3.30pm        Finish

On Saturday I took my second funeral of the week…. the first was for an elderly chap from a lovely friendly family that I met for the first time. The second funeral was a complete contrast. Anna, who died aged 47 had asked me to do her funeral and I helped her to plan it a year ago. I knew her from my days of teaching in Primary School because she had been in my class for thre years running from the aged of 9 to 11. I taught her friends and I taught her brother Adam – I wanted, more than ever, to make sure this one was right!

The funeral was at St Andrews, where I am at church most often which was helpful because I have keys, know where everything is and we have a projector and screen which meant I could do a slide show with collected images.  Anna had sent me a collection… but I also had an archive of ones taken at school camps, school disco and in the classroom so that meant trawling through and reliving old memories…. 

Anna had wanted the funeral to be an informal celebration and had asked for a song from school camps, “Little Eyes” so my ancient EKO 12 string guitar was bought back into service and a mass sing-a-long of 250 voices raised the spirits and made what might have been a mournful occasion, a joyous one.  We arranged that there would be a direct cremation because there were no appropriate Saturday cremation slots and so that the family, rather than being whisked away, could stay with the rest of the congregation for tea and pasties in the church. 

We thought there might be 150 people there but it was over 250 with fiends, neigbours, old school friends and work colleagues. With mothering Sunday, the day after the funeral the church was decorated with hundreds of daffodils donated by a friend of Anna’s. A full church, brightly decorated, everything in place…. all I had to do was lead it. 

 

Anna had been a clinical physicist – with responsibility for the radiography equipment in the Treliske Sunrise Centre so when I read about that and briefly thought of the number of folk I know, including my wife Lez, who had benefited there was a moment when I had to take a pause and hold emotion in check.  The other moment was when reading about the time in my classroom and the friends I had mention, four of whom had come to the funeral- it was so touching that they had kept contact over three decades! 

It was a long, long day with setting up and rehearsing in the morning, with Anna’s youngest son carrying the cross in procession, then the service with the longest reading of Eulogies I had ever done and finally the tea pasties and chatter afterwards. I was shattered by 5 o’clock but it was worth the effort.  Our organist, Lynne, received much praise too choosing lively arrangements of the two hymns and playing them on the piano and then using the organ to play her own arrangement of You’ve got a friend in me mixed with Lord of the dance as I did the committal with close family at the hearse…. the words being heard over the wireless microphone by all in church across the music. 

Below I have put the text of all the eulogies and my very short address…..  there will never be another funeral like this one…. for me leading at  any rate! Although I would take another funeral for an ex pupil if asked, after all it is a huge privilege to be able to serve them so many years later and to be thought of as the person to give them the ending they wanted. 

Rest in peace anna, and Rise in Glory – I shall be praying for the family 

Poem: Remember Me  (chosen by Anna)

By Anthony Dowson
Speak of me as you have always done.
Remember the good times, laughter, and fun.
Share the happy memories we’ve made.
Do not let them wither or fade.
I’ll be with you in the summer’s sun
And when the winter’s chill has come.
I’ll be the voice that whispers in the breeze.
I’m peaceful now, put your mind at ease.
I’ve rested my eyes and gone to sleep,
But memories we’ve shared are yours to keep.
Sometimes our final days may be a test,
But remember me when I was at my best.
Although things may not be the same,
Don’t be afraid to use my name.
Let your sorrow last for just a while.
Comfort each other and try to smile.
I’ve lived a life filled with joy and fun.
Live on now, make me proud of what you’ll become
 

Eulogy /

 

Adam’s memories from her teenage years – recorded by Sonya

 In 1986, Anna left Stithians Primary School and started at Redruth School. Anna was a first-class student; she always worked hard, and spent much of her time at home studying to ensure that she got the GCSE grades needed to progress onto Redruth Sixth Form where she studied her A levels.

 Anna enjoyed heading off abroad to Yugoslavia and France with her parents and Adam in their red Ford Sierra which would be packed to the brim, with everything apart from the kitchen sink!

 Dad even made a wooden roof top box to ensure that all the essentials were packed. Whilst on holiday there were, of course, trips to the vineyards, however most of Anna’s time was either spent in the water or reading.  On the journey home that top box was the perfect place to sneak a few bottles of red!  Anna loved books and even when she was unwell she spent a great deal of time listening to audio books, with James Herriot being one of her favourites.

 Anna had always had an interest in sport, both in and out of school. At school Anna she was in the tennis team and represented the school on several occasions. At home Anna’s love for water sports increased. Anna, and her family would often spend many hours at Stithians Lake learning to sail the Topper.

 Anna loved spending time with her friends at the lake; she would spend many hours playing on the edge of lake, going on the banana boat or simply hanging out with friends and having fun! These were special times for Anna and she would often talk about the good times that had been spent there. 

A few words about Anna from her work colleagues

Anna started working as a Clinical Scientist in the Sunrise Centre in 2005 and was a highly valued and respected member of the team.

As part of her role Anna carried out daily, weekly, monthly and annual quality assurance checks on the radiotherapy machines.  She was involved in the commissioning of new equipment and in the checking of treatment plans before a course of treatment started resulting in many patients being successfully treated and benefitting from Anna’s eagle eye and meticulous attention to detail.

Another major part of her role was as a Quality Manager.  This involved maintaining the Quality Management System, writing protocols, training staff and carrying out audits across the Radiotherapy Service to ensure the high standards were maintained.  She was one of the lead Quality Managers for the annual external audits and also carried out audits across other departments.  With Anna on board, you always knew you were in safe hands!

Anna was a fantastic physicist and an exceptional Quality Manager.  Her attention to detail was second to none, vital in both roles.

She kept us all in line ensuring protocols were always followed; no deviation allowed!  If you accidentally managed to use an out-of-date form, Anna would politely but firmly ask us to use the correct one!

Physicists and radiographers are very different breeds, but Anna was very much in tune with the radiographers which was a fabulous trait to have and made working with her even more enjoyable. She was one of the radiographers’ number one go to person; she always helped out where she could and always had a notebook and pen to hand!

A few of the team were fortunate enough to attend conferences with Anna.  As much as focussing on work in the day, the meals out and shopping trips that were squeezed in are the moments that will be treasured the most.  It was so lovely to spend time with Anna outside the work environment.

Anna was an incredible do-er.  You absolutely knew that if she was working on a project, it wouldn’t just be completed, it would be completed to the highest standard and in the agreed timescales, if not before.

We feel honoured to have worked so closely with Anna at the Sunrise Centre over the last 18 years.  We will miss her tenaciousness, her incredible knowledge, her professionalism, her no-fuss character and, most importantly, we will miss Anna for the amazing, strong, brave, kind and caring friend that she became. And, of course, her love of stripes!  She was so much more than a physicist.

Nicky, Philippa & Zoe

March 2023

Andy’s Words

I remember the first time I saw Anna as though it were yesterday. Anna was in her second  year of her medical physics degree, I was in my final year if my Chemistry degree. We were near neighbours in student digs and our houses quickly merged. Our relationship however, was based on a misrepresentation. Anna always wore tracky bottoms and trainers and our houses decided to go on a joint run along by the river Exe. Based on her attire I assumed that she would easily make the run – however, it soon became clear that Anna was not quite as fit as she might appear – and so I did the gentlemanly thing and stopped to walk with her – or was it all part of her master plan? This misrepresentation did not seem to hinder our relationship and we soon started dating, our first date was flipping pancakes. Perhaps she was attracted to my Tesco staff discount car or perhaps it was my hot wheels, a original mini but we went on to be together for 26 years and happily married for 22 on those and have 3 wonderful children.

I also recall first meeting with her family, I clearly was nervous and rather than saying we had a left the cake in my car I proudly announced that we had a bun in the oven – it spoke immeasurably of Annas family that I wasn’t run out of town!!

As you might imagine our engagement and marriage were not the run of the mill. I had be toying with the idea of asking Anna to do me the honour of becoming my wife but as usual I did not have the certainty that she would say yes and so it was that I proposed via email – I thought this to be the height of modern living but apparently this wasn’t so. However I am pleased to say that after threats of violence if it were a joke she happily agreed. Our wedding was a small affair, held at the university  with just close family and friends attending the ceremony and it was described the wedding coordinator as the most relaxed she had ever seen. This was illustrated when on the morning we discovered that the frosting on our wedding cake had curdled. I was out playing golf when I received Annas frantic phone call and so popped to Tesco to buy an alternative – finest of course, decorated with rose petals from the beautiful gardens.

Anna was the first in her immediate family to go to university, but she was not happy with her degree she continued to complete both a PhD and her hospital training. She became Dr Anna Pidwell and a qualified clinical scientist – however she took a temporary post as a lab technician in a school.

Anna had always wanted to return to her spiritual home of Cornwall, and we travelled down for Anna to look round the Sunrise Centre and she met and chatted with the then Head, Robin while I waited in the car. She came out a short time later – “howd it go?” I asked –

“OK!” replied Anna, “I think he offered me a job!!!”

Different times I guess!

However Anna was impatient to get on with life and so while she was waiting for a position to become available she decided to have a baby. During the labour Anna found that she didn’t need pain relief but did enjoy inflicting pain on me through the tens machine ramped up to 11.

Lottie arrived safely but never one to miss a bit a drama Anna decided to have a shower and the screen promptly shattered leaving Anna trapped surrounded by glass but as always she took it in her stride – did she want to make a complaint – why would she it was an accident.

And that was Anna not making a drama out of a crisis and being calm.

During this time we started our regular trips across the channel: before Lottie we travelled and stayed in caves in the Loire and in the days before SAT Navs it tested our relationship – but it survived.

Soon after Lottie had arrived Anna started at the RCHT Trelisk – to begin with Anna and Lottie travelled down on a Sunday evening and Anna worked three long days while Sally looked after Lottie. She then travelled back for a few days at home.

Fortunately I was able to follow Anna down to Cornwall and we bought our forever home here in Redruth. It needed a lot of work – you know it’s not good when you jump in one corner and the telly wobbles in the opposite corner and when the threadbare carpet is the only thing stopping you falling through the floor. Anna looked after the growing children while I, under Dicks expert tutelage, started about the renovation – it only took us 14 years to get carpet back on the stairs!!

After a few years we were blessed with the arrival of Will – on Christmas eve when we had picked up the turkey roll we had joked about our imminent baby being the same size but Will was slightly larger and almost got stuck – suddenly I was pushed from next to Anna to the back as the room filled with Drs and nurse looking after Anna and Will.

Our family was complete with the arrival of Joe. We had had several false starts going into the maternity unit only to be sent home again. We were debating whether I should take Lottie to swimming when Anna shouted out and we had to hustle!! Kids in the van, Anna in the van, drive down the road, kids dropped with a friend, then a sprint to the hospital doing nearly a 100 miles an hour down the A30 and mounting the pavement near the hospital – hoping to get pulled over so that I could either follow them or they could deliver the baby. We arrived at the maternity unit I opened the boot only for school work to flutter all over the carpark. Anna used some choice language as a scrabbled round the car park picking up bits of paper before we could hustle inside. Initially told to wait but Anna let the midwifes know that that was not going to happen and so we were ushered into a room and I became assistant midwife timing when various parts were born and finally getting the opportunity to cut the cord.

Family life was good, Lottie doing various dancing appearing in lovely shows at the regal, the boys starting their sporting journeys, Anna progressing at work and I had moved to schools a number of times but was now settled at Redruth – having the joy of teaching my own children – Lottie organising me both at home and school.

Then we had the devastating news that Anna had breast cancer. However, Anna faced it she did all crisis’s with determination and courage. She wanted to know the plan, always questioning the treatment and sticking to everything agreed rigidly. She put herself through an incredibly tough regime of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. After 9 months of treatment, we all thought Anna had beaten this horrible disease.

After the treatment we had opportunities to enjoy time as a family and with our friends. We had a memorable holiday on the Il de Re. We were joined by Dick and Sally, the Gaunts and the Tremaynes.

In theory, the easiest way of getting round the island was by bike and so it was that we would set off for the day in mass peloton. One day we decided to go to a beach and so set off first into the local town and then on to the beach. However, we managed to get horribly lost in the town and every street we went down seemed to lead us back to the “centre ville”. Eventually someone used technology and pushed the bikes through a wood to get there whilst the rest of us took our lives in our hands and went the wrong way down a one way street.

Evenings were filled with fun and joy – the camp site must have thought we were mad as tables and chairs were transported around the camp site and we crammed onto the veranda, and I cooked on the BBQ. The evenings were long, and we constantly had to shh ourselves as we laughed and joked the nights away.

Christmas and new year were also favourite times, and we would hire large outward bound buildings and again share wonderful times with friends –Anna would recall Joe standing on the tables singing along to Queen, gathering round the outdoor fire as the lantern that got stuck in the surrounding trees, partying into the early hours then recovering the next day with a mass fry up. We won’t mention the cherry tomatoes!!

But this was not to last and after a few health issues Anna received the news that her cancer had returned and spread. Anna knew that her time was limited, and she wanted to make sure we all had more memories of her to cherish.

There was no grand bucket list only that she was able to spend as much time as possible with those closest to her.

Our last proper holiday was to the “house” in Exeter, a week spent with friends as always filled with smiles and laughter. The house had a current pool and a hot tub to which Doris the Unicorn was introduced. Many hours were spent by all of us unsuccessfully trying to ride the unicorn against the current. We revisited old haunts such as the university, our old student digs, the imperial pub where back in the day you could get 2 curries and 2 pints for a fiver – those were the days!!!

We had talked of hiring a motor home and travelling Europe but a few days in one at a windswept Stithians lake was enough to let us know that was not for us.

But there were other weekends away as a family, some local – in the various holiday parks around here and some further afield in places as exotic as Torquay. It was a chance for us to be a normal family in abnormal times, made even more abnormal by the arrival of covid making travel even more difficult.

Throughout these incredibly tough times our fabulous children continued to excel, and Anna could not have been prouder when Lottie gained a place at medical school. It was fitting that our last trip away was to both to celebrate Annas birthday and visit Lottie in Exeter, joined by Dick and Sally.

Pushing Anna along next to the canal in the Autumn sunshine was a lasting memory. I know it was a great comfort to Anna that all of our children are supported by such wonderful friends both here and in Exeter.

Throughout Anna’s treatment she always refused to feel sorry for herself and she was determined to make sure that she got out of the house as often as possible and so a tradition was born.

We tried many different cafes but there was one that we returned to over and over again – Stithians lake. It held a special place for Anna with memories of past summers spent sailing. Over what turned up to be an exceptional summer we returned many times for hot chocolates and bacon rolls.

We watched as the level of the lake fell and fell and then once the weather broke started to rise again. I know that people loved the water level updates and seeing Anna still out and about sitting on her veranda. We will continue to return and sit on Annas veranda to remember her.

Anna did not like to think or talk about the end of her life but agreed that she would go into the hospice when the was right at the very end of her life. And so she grudgingly entered the hospice on Thursday 2nd March.

She said that she didn’t want to spend more time then she had to there, and so it should not have been a surprise when Anna passed away peacefully the next day – as always it was on her terms!!!

Annas achievements are numerous and significant. From being the first in her family to go to university in a subject that at the time was not normally studied by women. Then, not satisfied with a degree, she continued on to complete a PhD and the rigorous training to become an clinical scientist.

Then over 18 years she became a trusted and valued colleague working in the sunrise centre. There are many hundreds of people in Cornwall, and I know a number of people here today that have been cured of the disease either directly or indirectly with the work that Anna undertook.

However, I also know that these achievements were insignificant to Anna when compared to her greatest achievements, the ones she valued the most – those of friends and family. As a friend she was loyal and trustworthy always willing to listen and guide and never judgemental. She supported her friends through their tough time even when she herself might not be a 100%. She always thought of others in all her actions, whether it was remembering birthdays or significant events she was always there for people.

Anna’s family really did mean everything to her. She knew she was blessed to have three healthy children and made her even more determined to initially beat the disease and once it was clear that was not possible to ensure that she had as much time as possible with her children. She could not have been prouder to watch her children grow and celebrate each success with them. I am so pleased that Anna got to see Lottie enter medical school and start her journey to becoming a doctor. With the boys she celebrated every positive report, every good point from school and every sporting success and she was content that they are on the right path to success in whatever they choose to do and I know she will continue to look over all of them as they make their way in life.

I also know that Anna was also pleased to have her parents there to support her through the final stages of her journey. She drew great comfort from having mum on hand help to care for her as her body failed and to have her Dad close by. And although she did not always show it she was pleased when her brother call each day and Annas mind was also put at peace to know that Adam and Sonya will be there to help support all of our family.

To sum up Anna’s character is difficult. There are those in Anna’s position that are happy to share their progress in public – all the ups and the downs. Anna was not like this, in terms of her treatment and the progression of the disease she was a private person confiding only with those closest to her. However, as we all know she was incredibly determined and she put herself through round after round of treatment always with the hope of more time. This gave those around her the strength to carry on with their lives. She showed amazing resilience when many would have thrown the towel in she continued to fight. She continued to be a true friend to many of you here taking a genuine interest in others life when it would have been easy to be consumed with her own problems. She was overwhelmingly positive even in the face of news that many would have found too hard. She liked a plan – always a plan. And through out this she kept her sense of humour – yes there were undeniably hard times but there were many good times that we can all look back on with fondness.

We were lucky – I know that at the moment we do not feel it but we were. We were lucky to have known Anna, lucky to have been able to spend time with Anna, to share a joke and a laugh with Anna. As friends, we are lucky to have those wonderful positives memories of Anna. As Colleagues, lucky to have someone so reliable and competent. As a family we were lucky to have such a special daughter, sister, niece, cousin, mum and wife. However our paths crossed Anna’s we were so, so lucky.

Finally I ask that you take to heart the word of the poem. Whilst at the moment we may feel sad that Anna is no longer with us. We may feel anger that Anna, who led a life that put her at such a low risk of developing cancer, not only developed it but developed a version that was so hard to treat, is no longer with us. Anna’s only fault was to be a women and so at an increased risk of this terrible disease. And although at the moment it may cause us pain to think of Anna and to talk of the times we shared with Anna I ask that you do the following

Remember the good times – remember the times she made you smile, remember the times you shared a joke, remember the times you laughed together.

And please –Talk about those times – Share those times- If you see me in the street please talk about Anna – she will never be forgotten, she must never be forgotten

Address

As a teacher I never had favourite pupils but I did have classes that were particularly memorable for one reason or another. One of those classes lasted three years in the late 1980s when Anna and five other girls became the stars  that demonstrated why I found  teaching at the time, such a brilliant and joyous job.  

Anne, Claire, Lucy, Christine, Stephanie and Anna came as a package always working together in some combination, rarely falling out, avoiding succumbing to the irritating quarrels of many 9 year old girls and working incredibly hard.  

Anna and her five colleagues would try pretty much anything thrown at them. One key part was showing the girls could outshine the boys in using the computers which the lads at the time thought their nerdy province.  Whether it was the organising and problem solving around the Spacex adventure game or programming…. ((what’s called coding these days)) in Logo on a borrowed research machine, Anna and her group had to be top.  In amongst the slides are pictures of the interactive graphical work she  produced as well as others in and around our rather battered Eliot hut classroom.

After the first year with them, I moved to teach top juniors (into another Eliot hut) which meant that they came with me as the brightest of the year fives in a mixed age class.  The elliots were next to a cattle field and I well remember the day when muck spreading stopped all work. The class, including Anna holding their noses and mock gagging!”

In Anna’s final year I had a term out on secondment to another primary school as acting deputy head. Such was the shock at the gulf in approach, standards and behaviour (especially of the headteacher) I withdrew my application for the vacant post and went back to finish the year with  the class I knew were about to do their last school camp and I did not want to miss the traditions they looked forward to of stories and songs.

Anna’s group were in my last cohort to do a 7 nights under canvas at Rock….. surviving gale force winds and torrential rain with stoic good humour and the grace to have fond memories.  

Such was the impact, that Anna, when we planned this celebration a year ago,  thought you should all enjoy the experience of a Stithians School Camp song…. Her choice was Little Eyes….. which might not be the same as other versions you might have heard so bear with us…. It was Anna’s choice and Anna will expect you all to sing with the same gusto as kids on camp. As you sing glance up at the photos and see Anna’s smile and remember it. Anna lives on, not just in the Christian belief of a life with God where there is the promise of perfect healing and eternal life but in the hearts of all who knew her.  She lives on every time you tell the stories, look at the photographs or watch a boat on Stithians lake. She will have left a little part of her in all of us who knew her…. Cherish that and like Anna, live a life that makes a difference.

 

Song / Little Eyes 

 I dreamed a dream the other night the strangest dream of all,
I dreamed I saw you kissing her or I dreamed I saw  great big man
…. behind the garden wall
And she said,
(chorus…) ‘little eyes I love you, little eyes I love you
Love you in the springtime and the fall,
Little eyes I love you, little eyes I
I took my honey home last night to see my turtle dove –
Said, ‘tell me honey tell me do who is the one you love?’
And she said….
I took my honey have last night ‘neath the shedding pines – (shed shed shed)
I put my arms around her waist And pressed her lips to mine. (kissing noises) 
And she said..