St. John's Magazine - July 22

- 2 -
PETER D HANNABY
Painter & Decorator
Interior and Exterior work
Undertaken
For competitive quotations
Please call
Mobile: 07765 250092
Home: 01442 288956
MAGAZINE ADVERTISING COSTS
Why not use this parish magazine to advertise your business. There
are eleven issues per year with double issue in December/January.
Charges are: Full Page £115 per annum
Half Page £80 per annum
Quarter Page £60 per annum
For part year charges are pro rata of the annual rate rounded up to
the nearest whole pound (e.g. 1 month/issue full page 115/12 =
9.58 rounded up = £10 charge)
To discuss your requirements or for further information, please
contact Sally Bates, 01442 266912 or 07792 768236
or email: magazine@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk

- 3 -
THE VICAR’S LETTER
Dear Friends,
Seeing Carters’ Steam Fair on the Moor has reminded me of
one of my earliest memories of Boxmoor. 9 years ago this
month I came here on interview to see if I would become your new vicar.
After a guided tour of the Parish and the Vicarage I was shown into the
Lady Chapel to be interviewed by the then Bishop of Hertford, Paul Bayes.
During the interview he posed this question to me:
“The Steam Fair are on the Moor. You have gone over after Even-
song and got on the Waltzers. The attendant sees your ‘Dog Collar’
and says ‘Being a vicar you obviously believe in God and Jesus.
Why? And why should I?’ You have until the ride ends (3 mins) to
convince him”
I forget exactly what I said in response, other than my saying something like
it is in the face of Jesus Christ that we see the depth of God’s love writ large
for all humanity; a God who wants us to have life in all its fullness; a God
who loves and cares for each and every one of us despite our own failings;
a God of compassion and forgiveness, a God who knows all our weakness
and failings, joys and blessings because he too has walked this earth in
Jesus, and thus shares in our pains and joys. Obviously, this – coupled with
my other answers – were sufficient to convince the Bishop and other
members of the panel that I was to be your next vicar.
But as I was giving my response to the Bishop’s question I can recall think-
ing of some words of Jesus:
“…do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say;
for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not
you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
St Matthew 10: 19ff
Cont’d…….

- 4 -
I know many Christians who are terrified of the situation the Bishop was
presenting to me – of sharing one’s faith and justifying it to someone. It is
scary. But those words of Jesus are so true. I wasn’t expecting that
question and yet I was given the words to speak. Even now I don’t have a
pre-prepared answer to the question but rather a trust that the Spirit will
give me the words needed for that time and place, with that individual or
group.
The temptation is to run away. And if that isn’t possible to hide behind
some piece of Church doctrine that we are just about able to drudge-up
from the far recesses of our brain thanks to Sunday School. But that will
never answer the question. The enquirer needs us to be real and authen-
tic. They will see straight through us if we try to flannel like a politician on
Question Time. They are after genuine relationship, integrity, and truth.
And through the gifting of the Holy Spirit these things are given to us
when we need them most.
As we continue to recover and rebuild from Covid lockdowns it is pleasing
that in the last couple of months at least 5 new enquirers have made
their way through our doors as a result of conversations like the one
mentioned above. Our prayer is often that God would grow his Church. It
seems to me that he is doing his bit in stirring the hearts of those who
seek. It’s now our job to trust that the Spirit will enable us to engage with
these new people.
“Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to
the churches.” Revelation 2: 29
May our ears be open; may our hearts be open; and may our mouths be
opened to share the good news of Jesus.
Every Blessing,

- 5 -
PARISH DIARY FOR JULY 2022
Enquiries regarding baptisms weddings or marriage blessings are
always welcome.
Please contact the Vicar.
Morning Prayer is said Daily at St John’s at 9.00am.
You are most welcome to join the clergy in prayer.
Evening Prayer is said privately for the life of the Parish unless details are below.
St John’s is open daily 9.30am-5.00pm for private prayer
(10.30am-5.00pm on Saturdays)
Fri 1 12.30pm MASJ Lunchtime Concert St John’s
Anna Le Hair piano
7.00pm Choir Rehearsal St John’s
Sat 2 1.30-8.30pm St Albans Suzuki Music Group St John’s
Sun 3 St Thomas the Apostle (Third Sunday after Trinity)
8.00am BCP Holy Communion St John’s
10.00am All-Age Eucharist St John’s
10.00am Sung Mass St Francis'
11.30am Morning Worship St Stephen's
12noon Holy Baptism St John’s
Mon 4 11.30am Mountbatten Lodge Communion Mountbatten
Lodge
Afternoon Together on Monday Club -
Outing to Chiltern Open Air Museum
Tue 5 9.30am Tiny Tots: Stay & Play & Service St John’s Hall
Wed 6 10.00am Holy Communion followed by coffee St John’s
5.00pm Evening Prayer St Francis’
Fri 8 7.00pm Choir Rehearsal St John’s
Sat 9 11am-3pm Summer Fair St John’s
Sun 10 Fourth Sunday after Trinity
10.00am Parish Eucharist St John’s
10.00am Sung Mass St Francis'
11.30am Holy Communion St Stephen's
Tues 12 9.30am Tiny Tots: Stay & Play & Service St John’s Hall
8.00pm Church Meeting: PCC St John’s Hall

- 6 -
2.30pm Hemel School Eucharist, Yr 10 St John’s
Thurs 14 2.30pm Hemel School Eucharist, Yr 10 St John’s
Fri 15 5.30pm Junior Choir St John’s Hall
Sun 17 Fifth Sunday after Trinity
10.00am Sung Mass St Francis’
11.30am Morning Worship St Stephen’s
6.30pm Special Service: Queen of Heaven and
Queen of England St John’s
Mon 18 7.45pm Together on Monday Club St John’s Hall
Light Entertainment
Tue 19 9.30am Tiny Tots: Stay & Play & Service St John’s Hall
8.00pm Church Meeting: Communications Cttee St John’s Hall
3.30pm Friendship Tea St John’s Hall
4.00pm Baptism Preparation St John’s
Fri 22 St Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles
Sun 24 Sixth Sunday after Trinity
12.30pm St John’s Lunch Club St John’s Hall
Mon 25 St James the Apostle
Thu 28 4.00pm Wedding Rehearsal St John’s
Fri 29 7.00pm Choir Rehearsal St John’s
Sat 30 2.00pm Wedding: Scott Fletcher and Joely Mitchell St John’s
3.30pm Hughie Holness and Harriet Namaweijje St John’s

- 7 -
Sun 31 Seventh Sunday after Trinity
************************
SMILE-LINES
The lady who wanted three hymns
One Sunday a minister announced that the church needed some extra
money. He asked the people to prayerfully consider giving a little extra,
and as an enticement, added that whoever gave the most would be able
to pick out three hymns.
The offering plate was passed around, and to the minister’s amazement,
someone had put in a cheque for £1,000. He shared his joy with his
congregation and said he’d like to thank the person who’d given the
cheque. A very quiet, elderly lady shyly made her way down to the front
of the church. The minister told her how wonderful it was that she gave
so much, and asked her to pick out three hymns. Her eyes brightened as
she looked over the congregation. She pointed carefully to the three
handsomest men in the building and said: “I’ll take him, and him, and
him.”
The kiss
An honest seven-year-old calmly announced to her parents that Billy
Brown had kissed her after church. “How did that happen?” gasped her
mother.
“Well, it wasn’t easy,” admitted the young lady, “but three girls helped
me catch him.”

- 8 -
Covid-19 Update
Those who have been in church during June will know that we have now
re-introduced the Common Cup at our celebrations of the Eucharist/Holy Com-
munion/Mass. For some this is a welcome return, for others it’s a step beyond
where they are at with the virus and there is a nervousness and reticence. Both
positions, I should add, are perfectly acceptable. It is now a personal choice as to
whether you receive of Jesus in both kinds or simply in the one kind of his Body.
Your ministers have also now dispensed with wearing face coverings to adminis-
ter the Sacrament whilst the physical sharing of the peace is still suspended. Covid
19, of course, is still with us. Every day I hear of someone I know testing positive
for Covid 19 – in fact more people now than at the height of the pandemic. But
although more people are being infected the effects on them, for the most part,
are relatively minor. This should not make us complacent or over anxious but
rather aware that Covid-19 is very much something we need to live with in society
– much like the Flu (as stated recently by Sir Jonathan Van-Tam). We are slowly
returning our common life to something that resembles normal. I am not sure as
to when it will be fully back but we are moving in the right direction.
Summer Fair: 9 July, 11.00am-3.00pm
A reminder that the Summer Fair falls this month. Once again we hope for good
weather as we try to engage with our wider community and fundraise for the life
of the Church. Please, please, please come along and support the Church – and
bring your friends and neighbours – and if you are able to help on the day we
would be most grateful. All the usual summer things will be happening including
soaking me in the stocks. For more info please see the Newsletter.
Evening Service: Queen of Heaven and Queen of England: 17 July, 6.30pm
One of the staples of Choral Evensong is the singing of Magnificat – Mary’s hymn
of praise. Normally composers write a setting of this which lasts from between 2
and 10 minutes. However, John Rutter has composed a beautiful setting of
Magnificat which is simply too long for traditional Evensong. It is well worth hear-
ing though so we will be having a special evening service where we hear this
extended piece. This will enable us to celebrate Mary – Queen of Heaven. In this
her Jubilee year we also want to continue to give thanks for HM Queen Elizabeth
II so the choir will also sing Zadok the priest – one of the coronation anthems. This
will be accompanied by the St John’s Ensemble. It promises to be a musical feast
and I look forward to seeing you there.

- 9 -
Cricket Match Report
Well… we didn’t win, but what an entertaining game of cricket we had against the
Boxmoor Occasionals on Boxmoor Oval on Sunday 19 June. Put in to field we
managed to restrict the opposition to 172 off their 30 overs. Some impressive
displays in the field spurred on by accurate bowling. After a refreshing Tea break
we set about knocking off the runs. We got off to a good start – even managing to
be ahead of the run-rate – but sadly wickets started to tumble (including mine for
duck which was caught on camera!). In the end we finished 20 runs shy of target
but that didn’t stop us enjoying ourselves. The weather was generally kind; the
fair provided a lovely atmosphere; the crowd enjoyed the Pimm's and beers! Roll
on next year when we can hopefully get a win under our belts. Thank you to all
who played and supported.
Supporting Ukrainian Refugees
The Parish has registered for the government “Homes for Ukraine Scheme”
planning to offer 23 Beechfield Road as accommodation to a Ukrainian family for
a period of 6 to 12 months. Once we are approved we will need to ensure that 23
Beechfield is ready for occupation. This will involve clearing the front and back
garden, cleaning the property, potential furniture, bedding, curtains, kitchenware
and a whole host of other practical items plus ensuring that the family is
welcomed in our Parish. If you would like to offer your support and be part of the
“Homes for Ukraine Parish Scheme” then please pass your details to the Parish
office office@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk with your name, telephone number, and
email address.
PCSO on the move – Safer neighbourhoods
PCSO Daniel McManus is a familiar face around Boxmoor. In fact, he often pops-in
to St John’s on a Wednesday morning to have a cuppa and a chat. From Septem-
ber Daniel will be changing role to co-ordinate the Safer Neighbourhood scheme.
He will be missed as our local contact but I’m sure we will continue to see him
around.
Possible changes to ministerial provision in the Parish
We all know who devastating the Pandemic has been to the economy and lots of
businesses. The Church likewise has also struggled. Our diocese of St Albans rec-
orded a net deficit of £500,000 in 2020 (we accounted for 10% of this deficit!) and
£400,000 in 2021. As a result of this, and aware that reserves would run-out if
things keep going in the same way, the Diocese is asking every Deanery to identify
parishes which have a stipendiary priest but are no longer financially sustainable.
Within this Deanery St Albans Church, Warners End and Gadebridge, has been
identified. Informal conversations are taking place about its future. Cont’d…...

- 10 -
Should it stay within the Hemel Team (with reduced clergy) or form a new bene-
fice with us? This has also prompted the Archdeacon to address our chronic under
-resourcing and ask what level of priestly ministry we require to thrive and grow. I
dare say these conversations will go on for some time, but I hope we will all get
involved in the discussion as it will affect how and when we worship almighty
God.
Summer Holidays
With any luck the British summer will be glorious with wall to wall sunshine to
enable day-trips to the seaside and give us all some time for rest and relaxation.
During August I intend to take some significant periods of annual leave with my
family to try and rebuild my energy levels ready for the new academic year. Due
to not having in-house priestly colleagues I am once again postponing the 8.00am
Holy Communion service throughout August. This decision is not taken lightly but
it is very hard to get visiting clergy to cover the early service especially when it is
not very well attended. During my absence our regular visiting clergy will lead our
worship. I know you will continue to extend to our visiting clergy a warm and
generous welcome.
The Big Lunch – Jubilee Weekend
Sincere thanks to all who enabled our Jubilee celebrations to be so full of joy and
laughter. The big lunch was a huge success; the decorations and flowers were
stunning as usual; the trees duly blessed. A fitting way to celebrate our Sovereign
platinum jubilee. Thank you
Photos by kind permission of Janet Packe

- 11 -
Photos by kind
permission of
Carole Lewis
Photos by kind permission of
Anne Lyne

- 16 -
HALLS FOR HIRE
ST JOHN’S HALL - Well equipped hall suitable for use by special interest
groups, clubs and societies. Ideal for family parties and special occasions.
Please contact Hall Bookings Secretary on 07939 226977 or email:
hallbookings@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk for further information and availabil-
ity.
ST STEPHEN’S HALL, CHAULDEN - (opposite Tudor Rose) - Sunny Hall with
tiled floor suitable for dancing and exercise groups as well as being ideal for
children’s parties. Please contact Jean on 01442 257023 for further
information and availability.
ST FRANCIS HALL, HAMMERFIELD - Well equipped hall suitable for use by
special interest groups, clubs and societies. Ideal for family parties and
special occasions. Please contact Hall Bookings Secretary by email: stfran-
cishallbookings@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk for further information and
availability. More urgent queries can be handled by leaving a message on Paul
Davies mobile phone: 07802 442908
Dear Creator God
We thank you for Your wonderful creation. Your Word tells us that in the
beginning You worked and then You rested when Your work was done.
You didn’t rest because You were tired, but because You saw that Your
completed work was good. So, the seventh day became a time of celebra-
tion and blessing.
Help us, in these days of non-stop, sometimes intrusive means of commu-
nication, to follow Your pattern – to work and then to rest; to be restored
and blessed by You. Help us to keep one day – Jesus’ Resurrection Day –
special for You.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
By Daphne Kitching

- 17 -
Please Note: St. John's Church PCC cannot accept any responsibility for goods or services

- 18 -
BOOK REVIEW
A Good Friend
By Gemma Hunt, SPCK, £8.99
Written by TV presenter and children’s entertain-
er, Gemma Hunt, the See! Let’s Be series encour-
ages young children to understand how to act
and behave in everyday situations through observing good examples by
adults and inspired by Jesus’ parables and teachings. Perfect for end-of-
the-day reading time with children, providing support, encouragement,
and reassuring words.
Gemma Hunt is best known as the presenter of the hit and BAFTA
winning CBeebies pirate gameshow series SWASHBUCKLE. Gemma also
presents ‘Together’ – a BBC Learning School Radio show downloadable
for school assemblies.
The Summer Garden
Summer comes and waves her hand,
The garden blooms at her command,
Plants abounding everywhere
As fragrant perfumes fill the air.
Roses, geraniums, lilies too
Agapanthus with globes of blue,
Sumptuous colours in such array,
Their beauty takes our breath away.
To sit beneath the shady trees,
To listen to the humming bees,
As Summer wears her rainbow dress
We thank God for such loveliness.
By Megan Carter

- 20 -
National ‘Don’t Step on a Bee Day’ – 10th
July
Bees need your help. And we need their help.
Not only do bees help provide the honey, propolis
and beeswax, but they also help to keep us all fed
and watered. Without bees, more than a third of
everything we eat would disappear from our ta-
bles.
The majority of our honey here in the UK is imported (85%), but there are
also many beekeepers on our doorstep. So why not visit a near-by farm
shop or deli and enjoy the precious produce of local beekeepers for break-
fast?
You can also help bees by planting wildflower seeds that will provide a
food supply. Download the Great British Bee Count app created by Friends
of the Earth which allows you to log the bees you spot out and about. This
builds a picture of bee health and activity in the UK.
Finally, build a bee hotel! Bees need somewhere to rest when they
venture out on their pollen mission. You can find a step-by-step guide
here: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/04/how-to-build-a-
bee-hotel/

- 21 -
RA (Royal Academy) Summer Exhibition 2022 - Subject Climate
I am delighted to say I have an exhibit in this years Royal
Academy Summer Exhibition in London (from 21 June - 21
August 2022).
As you may know I am passionate about recycling and
rarely throw anything away - and earlier this year I sub-
mitted a multi media piece called TAGS (clothes tags) to
the RA and was pleased it was selected for the Summer
Exhibition.
Many clothes TAGS are too good to throw away and over a
long period of time I kept them and put them on a lanyard.
They are not all mine - some of them are my family’s and
often retrieved out of the waste bin!
The interesting thing is there was no special reason behind
my collecting the TAGS other than I couldn’t break the
habit of throwing them away - but to look at it one of the first things you
think of is consumerism. It makes you think and maybe if there was a
TAGS 2 it would be a lot smaller!
Dee Fisher
(St Swithun’s Day is on 15th
July)
St Swithun’s Day, if thou dost rain
St Swithun’s day, if thou dost rain,
For forty days it will remain;
St Swithun’s day, if thou be fair,
For forty days ’twill rain na mair.
Ancient rhyme

- 22 -
'Music Percentage Club Update’
Congratulations to the winners of the May Music
Percentage Club draw:
Jennie Whitefield 1st £15
Marion Roff 2nd £8
Nicholas King 3rd £4
If you know of someone who would be interested in joining the Music
Percentage Club and supporting Music at St John’s in this way there are
forms in church or please contact Mark Harbour on 01582 841019 or see
him in church. Mark Harbour - on behalf of MASJ
REMEMBERING
Some years ago I gave her crocuses
When she was sad and recently bereaved.
She smiled and said she’d plant them in a ring
Around the tree she bought in memory.
Time smoothed the roughened edges of her grief.
Mine too. And so each walked a careful path,
Holding the moment, tasting simple joys
Of books and flowers, or skies of thrush-egg blue.
Each Spring I pass her garden, see the tree
Still circled with its ring of living green,
Defying frost and hail or shrouding snow.
As new shoots stir, so do the memories.
©Jean Marian Stevens 2002 - From Jean’s “Impressions”

- 23 -
AUGUST 2022 - PRICE 60p
Please note the deadline for articles for the August 2022 edition of the magazine
is Sunday, 3rd July.
You can e-mail direct to magazine@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk or leave articles in
magazine pigeonhole or deliver direct to 27 Beechfield Road. Please note any
articles sent by email should be in A5/A4 format (MS Word or MS Publisher
preferred). Thank you. Sally Bates, Editor, Tel No. 266912 or Mobile 07792
768236.
PLEASE NOTE
Website for St John’s Boxmoor is:
www.stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk
E-mail: office@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk
Website for Music at St John’s is http://masj.org.uk
Facebook Page: St Johns Church, Boxmoor
NEWSLETTER: If you would like to receive a copy of the weekly Newsletter by
e-mail, please contact Alan Munford - alan.munford@btinternet.com with your
e-mail address and he will arrange to send it to you.
Please send any items for inclusion in the Newsletter to the Parish Office at the
email address: newsletter@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk
SUBSCRIPTION TO MAGAZINE
If you would like to receive a copy of St John’s Parish Magazine on a regular
monthly basis, please email alan.munford@btinternet.com or telephone him on
01442 242543 or complete your details below and return tear-off slip to:
Mr. Alan Munford, 16 St Nicholas Mount, Hemel Hempstead HP1 2BB
Name…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Address ………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
...........................................................................................................................
Contact Telephone Number ………………………………………………………………………...

- 24 -
THE QUEEN’S VISIT TO HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
SUNDAY 20 JULY 1952
1952 is remembered for the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth II follow-
ing the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February, and 70 years later
we have been marking her Platinum Jubilee. In that year, however,
another event took place which has become part of the history of Hemel
Hempstead and has lived long in the memories of those who witnessed it,
namely the visit of the new Queen to the town on Sunday 20 July when
she laid the foundation stone at St Barnabas Church in Adeyfield.
At the end of January 1952 the then Princess Elizabeth, with the Duke of
Edinburgh, set out on a Commonwealth tour, on behalf of her father,
taking in Kenya, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand, which was
expected to last nearly five months. Soon after her return the Princess
had promised to visit Hemel Hempstead. Her accession to the throne did
for a time put this event in doubt, but it was soon announced that the
Queen would fulfil this engagement as originally intended. Court mourn-
ing lasted until 31 May and so Hemel Hempstead was one of the first
places the new Queen visited outside of London.
Preparations for the royal visit went on around the town for several
weeks. 20 July was a warm and sunny day and at precisely 3 o’clock the
Queen in a procession of cars arrived at the entrance to Two Waters
Road. She wore a grey and white dress with a flared skirt typical of the
period and a grey and white hat with an upturned brim and was accom-
panied by a lady-in-waiting whom, Hemel Hempstead Gazette, which was
then published on a Friday and printed locally in a building behind what is
now the Old Police Station, tells us was Lady Margaret Hay. (The Duke of
Edinburgh was in Finland at the time attending the Olympic Games being
held in Helsinki). On Two Waters Moor seats had been provided for
senior citizens so they had the first view of the Queen. Having taken an
elderly neighbour there we stayed in Two Waters Road which proved to
be a good place as there was hardly anyone on the narrow pavement,
even though crowds had been gathering along the route since early in the
morning, and we were rewarded with a wave as the Queen drove slowly
by. Cont’d….

- 25 -
Her car then proceeded into Marlowes by The Plough public house where
the crowd was estimated to be over 1000. In the New Town plan
Marlowes was to be regenerated as the main shopping area which until
then had been based in the High Street. There was great opposition to
the demolition of many buildings in Marlowes but one, however, the
Marlowes Bridge which carried what is now called “the Nickey Line” to
Harpenden was described as “a ghastly sight”. It was decided to hide it
from Her Majesty by festooning it with flowers and foliage provided by
Hemel Hempstead Townswomen’s Guild and Leverstock Green and
Felden WI’s. From Marlowes the royal party turned into Broadway (now
the start of Queensway) passing the entrance to Gadebridge Park where
on a high stage flanked by flag poles flying Union Jacks was a large crowd,
again made up of flowers and foliage, and then on into Alexandra Road,
Midland Road, Adeyfield Road and Broadfield Road to The Square in
Adeyfield, subsequently called Queen’s Square to commemorate the
occasion. (It was perhaps appropriate that 70 years later a tree was plant-
ed in Queen’s Square last month to mark the Platinum Jubilee).
Here the Queen was received by the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire,
who happened to be her uncle, the Hon. David Bowes-Lyon, the Queen
Mother’s younger brother who lived at St Paul’s Walden, near Hitchin; the
Bishop of St Albans, the Right Reverend Michael Gresford-Jones; the
Mayor of Hemel Hempstead, Alderman Herbert Christopher, Chairman of
Hemel Engineering; the Town Clerk, Mr C. W. Kirk; and the local MP,
Viscountess Davidson. In the Square the Queen was presented with a
bouquet by two five year olds, Lorna Humphries and Lester Pritchard. A
large platform had been erected over which was a large canopy so that
the 2000 Red Cross and St John’s Ambulance Brigade, who had gathered
there had a good view of the Queen laying the foundation stone of St Bar-
nabas Church.
After the ceremony the Queen went on a tour of the new town areas and
to stop at the homes of the first four residents. The Ellerby family was
among these, but five year old Dennis was suffering from chicken pox
which prohibited them from meeting royalty! She went into the home of
Mr and Mrs Ben Adams who had four children whom the Queen also met.
She asked to see the garden and said she was very impressed with the
house. Cont’d….

- 26 -
Before Her Majesty left, Mrs Adams offered her a cup of tea. By late
afternoon it had become very hot and standing by the front door was a
little girl called Susan Applegate wearing just her knickers and this was
caught on camera just as a smiling Queen came out! It was, of course,
the picture which appeared in the tabloid press the next day!
Leaving Hemel Hempstead Her Majesty travelled to St Albans where she
attended Evensong in the Abbey.
Although other members of the royal family have come to Hemel Hemp-
stead in the intervening years nothing compares to this visit which took
place 70 years ago for, as The Gazette headline put it, it was “A Day We’ll
Never Forget.”
Graham Gibbs

- 27 -
St. Barnabas Church, Adeyfield
***************
C of E has good skills, says new bishop
The next Bishop of Bath and Wells, Dr Michael Beasley, has said that the
CofE learned valuable lessons during the pandemic. “There’s been a huge
amount that we’ve seen in our response to an emergency. It shows we
have a flexibility and a resilience and an ability to respond to situations
that we might not have known we have, but now we do.”
He said that such resilience will be needed, to cope in these “challenging
times”, with the world still emerging from the pandemic, the war in
Ukraine, and the cost-of-living crisis, “which is only to become increasing-
ly urgent”.
He said: “Addressing these issues is going to demand everyone’s faith and
experiences, their creativity and skill.”

- 28 -
INSPIRATION
When I was a teacher, the only genuinely original idea I ever had came to me
while I was walking to school. Over my 15 years of teaching I had created thou-
sands of resources but I didn’t regard any of them as my idea: the concept of
each one had their roots in other teachers’ work, tried and tested, passed down
to new teachers and applied by me.
But there was one idea I dreamed up independently. I needed to teach my Y7s
about the fall of the Roman Empire. This vast empire, at its height in the early 2nd
century, stretched from Portugal to Persia and from Scotland to the Sahara
Desert. Yet, in the third century, a succession of emperors, invasions, hyperinfla-
tion and plague triggered what was to become a slow decline and in AD476 its
Western half was overthrown completely by the Germanic Odoacer.
Still with me? Or have your eyes glazed over? I feared my Y7s would do the same
– but, as I was walking up Cemetery Hill on the morning of the lesson, I had a
moment of inspiration. I raced back home, grabbed something from a cupboard
and set off back to school, a little more enthusiastically this time.
For those of you who don’t know the game, Jenga is a pile of rectangular blocks.
One person stacks the blocks into a tower, then everyone takes turns pulling out
the blocks one by one and placing them back on top until the tower collapses.
The winner is the last player to remove a block without causing the tower to
crash.
I built the tower, a little wonkier than usual, and then the class played the game. I
made sure everyone had a go but only at the end did I reveal the denouement:
the wonky tower represented the long-term problems with the Empire - the
hyperinflation, vast expense of huge armies, frequent changes of leadership –
while the pulling out of the individual bricks and placing them back on top repre-
sented the attacks from the Visigoths and Odoacer.
Worked a treat. The class insisted we played it for the entire lesson of course –
wouldn’t you? – but the point was made and all I had to do was sit back and
watch.
Inspiration has many meanings, but this one is a Eureka moment, a flash of imagi-
nation which fuels a myriad ideas, possibilities and truths. JK Rowling dreamed up
Harry Potter on a train to London, Einstein his theory of relativity on a tram in
Bern.

- 29 -
Aside from the apparent connection to public transport, the problem with inspi-
ration is that it does not come to order. The idea of using Jenga came to me 50
yards up Cemetery Hill on the morning of the lesson. I had already planned it so I
was mulling over other things instead. That is why, when the moment came, it
seemed such a flash, bursting in unannounced when my mind was elsewhere.
Neither does inspiration negate the need for hard graft. Rowling spent five years
planning the Harry Potter books and ten years writing them. Einstein took eight
developing his theory of relativity and a lifetime refining it. I still had to teach the
Empire’s fall `properly’ over the following days, which meant planning the les-
sons and marking my students’ work.
But what is less considered is that hard graft often precedes the inspiration too.
Rowling’s Eureka moment was the fruit of years spent writing and reading, learn-
ing what makes a good story and makes children read. Einstein published his
theory of relativity in 1916 but its roots lay in work he published in 1905. And
although I want to quickly emphasise my Jenga idea doesn’t quite match up to
the magnitude of theirs, it had its roots in my attempts to interest previous Y7
groups in the collapse of the Roman Empire: having tried different approaches
over the years, I knew what didn’t work.
No amount of hard work can guarantee a Eureka moment, nor does everything
need one, but it creates the conditions in which one can surface.
It happened just once to me in fifteen years of teaching. I made the most of it -
Year 10 played Jenga when I taught them the causes of the Wall Street Crash and
Y13 when we looked at why Britain lost the American War of Independence. But
aside from that moment on Cemetery Hill, my inspiration was always the ideas of
other teachers. It doesn’t bother me: why would I waste the experience and skills
of countless colleagues? But though it’s illusive, inspiration builds on the founda-
tions of hard work and, in my case at least, many, many failures. That means it
can happen to any of us. Especially if, as Rowling and Einstein would testify, we
use public transport.
Rosie Akeroyd

- 30 -
at St John’s
in the month of May 2022
HOLY BAPTISM
1 May Charlotte Poppy Jones Laureate Way
1 May Ellie Nicole Restall Quinces Croft
15 May Cecelia Violet Pearl Jones Dunstable
15 May Angelica Iris Emerald Jones Dunstable
22 May Albert Louis Stray Burgundy Drive
May the Lord of his great mercy bless these children and give them
understanding of his wisdom and grace.
HOLY MATRIMONY
No weddings took place in May
FUNERAL & MEMORIAL SERVICES
3 May Jean Marian Stevens Bricket Wood
9 May Albert Ronald Philp Chasden Road
23 May Elizabeth (Betty) Ada Last Portobello Place
25 May Rosemary Ellen Parish Belswains Lane
May these souls and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy
of God, rest in peace.
BURIAL OF ASHES
No burials of ashes took place in May

- 33 -
SMILE-LINES
Baptism
A couple took their five-year-old young daughter to church. During the
service, the minister conducted the baptism of a tiny infant. The little girl
watched in wonder as he held the baby, said solemn words, then poured
water over its head, and then carefully wiped it dry. Finally, she turned to
her father. “Daddy, why is he brainwashing that baby?”
Seagull
A woman went to the beach with her children. Her four-year-old son ran
up to her, grabbed her hand, and led her to the shore where a dead sea-
gull lay in the sand. “Mummy, what happened to him?” the little boy
asked.
Not wanting to upset him, she said: “He died and went to heaven.”
The child thought for a moment and said, “And God threw him back
down?”

Produced and printed by the Parish of Boxmoor

St. John's Magazine - July 22

Recommandé

Recommandé

Contenu connexe

Similaire à St. John's Magazine - July 22

Similaire à St. John's Magazine - July 22 (20)

Plus de Chris Lyne

Plus de Chris Lyne (19)

Dernier

Dernier (20)

St. John's Magazine - July 22