Fakenham Parish Church: Community Blog

Recently in the ‘Times’ newspaper there was an article on men’s health stating that in comparison to women, men in this country have poor health. What worried me was the high risk of suicide in men compared to women.

Having been involved in the care of the mentally ill as a chaplain in former days and also created a drop in centre for psychiatric patients when I was Vicar of Herne Bay in Kent I realise that there is a major problem.

Recently wife telephoned a local Vicar to ask about an event we wanted to attend. He was gruff, unhelpful and bordering on being rude. My wife is very easy to get on with but was taken aback by the his attitude.

My experience has been that the Church is often lacking when you are in need and have sympathy for people with certain illnesses but lacks understanding about mental illness. My door is always open to help and if you do need any support or prayer please let me know.

I have had depression myself, so I know what I am talking about. When everything around you looks black you are in a state of depression and you need help.

So please don’t try and sort out all your problems on your own. There is help out there.

The help may not be where you expect it but it is still there.

Having been involved with Christian Aid since the start of my ministry I have seen immense enthusiasm for its work. But sadly, poverty is still with us. I am reminded of the words of Nelson Mandela to the United Nations when he said: “Like slavery, poverty is not natural. It is immoral.” But there have been so many misunderstandings by the great and powerful regarding the solutions to the problems. Bob Geldof in his enthusiasm in Live Aid thought that if the rich countries gave to the poor then all would be well. This is actually only part of the truth. Yes, we need to send aid into Burma and to China when there are disasters, but I believe that the real problems are much more complicated, and much deeper. Money sent to poor countries often just gets into the hands of the rich. Count how many African leaders have Rolls Royce cars! Christian Aid encourages us not to have sloppy thinking - linking poverty in one place with wealth in another. By making Europe poor you will not make Africa rich. Trade is the essential requirement and hopefully fair trade. So when you buy vegetables at the supermarket sent all the way from Kenya by plane, you might be surprised, or when you purchase a cotton shirt which was made in India, you might wonder whether we could produce these ourselves - but in reality trade is a good thing. The most important objective we should have is to break down world trade barriers so that many countries would then be released from poverty. We should buy goods from India, China and Africa as long as they are fairly produced. We may complain about the emergence of India, and China polluting the world, and wanting more steel, oil and food so putting up prices in our country, but the USA is still the most polluting nation in the world, using most of the world’s resources. And we in the United Kingdom are still increasing our rate of pollution in spite of every attempt to change the way we live.

Coming from a horticultural retailing family, I would suggest that we should encourage the wealth creating process of the world by trade. This has been proved by the millions of people who have emerged from poverty in Russia, China and India in the last decade who have embraced global trade. However, we should be interested in how wealth is created and how it is distributed. The answer, as Christian Aid worked out years ago, is not just to hand out money to the poor so much as to create a global economy and open up all borders to fair trade. The USA is one of the worst countries in the world in blocking free trade and in the EEC we are not much better. We have prospered in our history when trade barriers have been taken down. Isaiah prophesied good news:‘He has chosen me and sent me to bring good news to the poor.’ Isaiah 61. 1 The best good news for a poor family living in a Third World country is that what they are producing receives a fair price so that they can lift themselves out of poverty.If this means that we may pay a little more for basic items in our shops, then so be it.Adrian Bell 

Having attended a meeting of the Fakenham Air Training Corps (ATC) last night I came back overjoyed by a group of youngsters who are caring, positive about life and willing  to contribute to the community. Also, I had the joy as the Corps Chaplain of enrolling two  new members Tom and Jeff (his real name is Jefferson - sounds very posh) who took their  vows very seriously. The Corps spent time with tutors learning about the ATC, drilling in the very cold evening air, and then put up with me for 45 minutes for my ‘Padre’s Hour’.  The ATC does a wonderful job and I can guarantee that almost every cadet will soon be in further education and then into work. Did you know that the ATC is one of the UK’s largest youth organisations?

The following is taken from May’s edition of the Fakenham Beacon Magazine and reproduced here for wider access and allow people to pass on their own comments via the Blog.  Written by Mr. Geoffrey Rose.

I was born in Quaker Lane Fakenham and attended Queen Road School. By School leaving age, the Second World war had started. In such uncertain times, further education was out of the question. After a period of working, at the age of 18, I received my call up papers to serve ‘King and Country’. I had my heart set on the Royal Navy. I passed medical fitness and aptitude tests and was sent home to await developments. Imagine my disappointment to receive instructions to report to a colliery in Yorkshire. I said good bye to the open Norfolk skies and reported as instructed, to the Guildhall in Doncaster and on to lodgings. What a culture shock for a young Norfolk lad.  I could not appeal on health grounds because I had passed fit for the Navy. If I had refused to go down the mine the alternative was prison. My call up number ended with the dreaded number pulled out of Ernest Bevin’s hat.

The wages were £2.12 shillings per week out of which I paid  £1.10 shillings for lodgings, bus fares to work, union dues and sick benefit all had to be paid. We were not supplied with working clothes and there were no charity shops in those days.My station was 3,150 feet down, then a walk of just over half a mile where I spent the shift alone, my only company was my Davey lamp and the mice. On the first training day, after the initial drop, we descended by ladders a further 350 feet to the ‘mad house’ - a shallow seam no more that 18 inches high.  It was a relief not to be stationed there. In 1947 I was demobbed Army Class 60 and given a one way ticket to travel home with no gratuity, set of clothes etc. We were really written off with no acknowledgement from the Government or the public. Because we had no uniform, we were called skivers, conscientious objectors etc., Even the NAAFI refused us cups of tea.

Did you know that Fakenham’s Charity Shops, yes all of them, there are 7 that I can think of, are Staffed by really kind, helpful and happy people who freely give up their time to do this work. As I am not one of them I feel I can ‘blow the trumpet’ on their behalf without any bias.!

Not only do they all have lovely Staff, they also have amazing bargains of every type, sort and description.

Being of a certain age and size I cannot find any clothes I like in the shops which trade in new clothes, but I have found things which I really do like AND can afford, in this Goldmine which is at our disposal.

Now that we cook only for two, I have also found pyrex or other casserole dishes which are exactly right for us. Oh and I found a superb complete set of fascinating history books ( I think it was called Horrid History) aimed at young people which made a good present for a 7 year old grand child.

These shops are a treasure on our doorstep and they are all helping various charities.”

Regards

Ann

Totally agree. Rector

Last evening the Church was full of people for a concert by the West Norfolk Jubilee Youth Orchestra and Concert Band. It was great ! Young people enjoying music and willing to try some exciting pieces of music from every generation including Sting ! I have asked the Orchestra back next year. If you missed it, you missed a real treat. The Church received £100 donation from the event which we will be giving to Steven Newing House in Fakenham helping young people who are in difficulty and need some support.

A lady this week told me off through a member of  my staff for always asking people for money for the Church. Well actually as a Church we probably give away more than any Church in our Deanery and one of the highest in the Diocese. Last year over £30,000 was raised for charities other than the Church which included £21,000 from the 7th Christmas Tree Festival.

I hope that she is in a minority because we really do try to help and next Thursday we are donating all the proceeds from Thursday Market Day stalls and refreshments Fakenham Children’s Day Care Centre which has again been hit by vandalism even though we need £10,000 for urgent repairs to the Church.

May be I am a little touchy about this point. But we just try to help where we can and like HM  The Queen, often our generosity is not noticed because we want to give quietly.

Any advice would be helpful?

Adrian Bell

Just had to put pen to paper and thank the Parish Church for the wonderful welcome surprise that happened to me yesterday.

After spending long hours on Monday night/Tuesday morning at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital when Mother was taken in by ambulance with a possible stroke, following numerous visits, by yesterday afternoon I was both tired and emotionally drained - when suddenly there was a knock on the door to tell me that I had won £50 in the Church monthly 200 Club draw.

God certainly does move in mysterious ways. What a much needed boost that was! Thank you again.

Olga Lowne.

Having just received an invitation to a family wedding in Cumbria in the summer I was delighted to receive the wedding gift list. Normally it means a trip to John Lewis or House of Fraser and looking down a list of saucepans and china, but this invitation was different.

My nephew, as a keen  carer for the world, has asked all guests to donate to OXFAM. The donation will not be  in money, but  we will be able to purchase  an item or even an animal to help the Third World. What a wonderful idea. In age when we all have far too much this is one way we can share.

What do you think ?

It struck me the other day when receiving a letter, an important letter, that the writer had begun to write in quite large lettering, when signing off the letter. It seems to me that people who feel themselves important tend to do this and it is rather sad. On this Maundy Thursday, and reading the story of the washing of the Disciples feet by Jesus, I am struck that he wasn’t pushy or over self important, but actually a very simple person who saw himself as a servant.

Todays Church seems to be successful when members, and particularly learders, show this attitude of being a servant. There are some many examples that one can think of and the one that comes to mind first is Brother Roger of the Taize Community, who was sadly assassinated but spent his whole life serving other people. There appears to be some people within the Church today who are too self-important and are not really giving a good example at times to the Church community.

So, come on people! What do you think? I want to hear your thoughts on this.

Adrian Bell

By John Stapleford, a member of the Fakenham Baptist Church community.

‘Out of the mouths of babes and infants……’ Psalm 8. verse 2.

Recently, I visited my daughter, Lorna in Leighton Buzzard and was assigned the task of escorting the children to school. As I was walking behind the two infants with the 3 year old Catherine in the pushchair I had the privilege of hearing this remarkable conversation

Grandson Ross (age 6): “Are you a Christian Sophie?”
Friend Sophie (aged 5) “What a Christian?”
Ross, after a pause, “Well, it’s someone who believes in Jesus.”
Sophie, also after a pause. “Yes I believe in Jesus. Well, he gives us the water of life, doesn’t he?”

Sophie’s comment is all the more remarkable because is from a non church going family.

John 14 verse 13.”Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him, will never thirst”