NOVEMBER 2018

Ministerial Musings

November – Danse macabre

November comes to us under the sign of remembrance: All Saints Day,

All Souls Day, Guy Fawkes Night and later on Remembrance Day.

My earliest memories of this month as a child are visual and olfactory

ones: the smell of chrysanthemums and the lighted candles on the
family graves in the village cemetery. It is traditions that on the Day of
Dead family members gather and go to the cemetery to lay down
flowers, light a candle, say a prayer and remember their beloved ones.
The candles illuminate all night long, and for that night the cemeteries
are alive with people and light shines through eternal darkness. Though
the first part is sad and solemn affair, after a while people start
wandering around, meeting relatives, friends, acquaintances,
exchanging greetings, memories, stories and here and there even a
laughter may be heard. We honour our dead but the business of the
living goes on.

I think that we have a heightened awareness of death and darkness in

November, an awareness we are shying away from nowadays. For
former generations death was a constant companion and if they were
not able to read, the sculptures, frescoes and paintings on the church
walls of the danse macabre – were a continual reminder of death and
its levelling power from which some solace could be gained for those
on the lowly walk of life.

If we cannot fight death we at least can fight darkness and one way is
the Daylight saving time. I thought for a long time that it was a
communist device though it did not really matter back home as most

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evening electricity was cut, so we had to do our business by candlelight
or gas lamp. It was romantic at the beginning - a little taste of a former
time in the middle of the XXth century - but after a while it palled on
you, when night after night you had to strain your eyes reading or
doing the household work or just going to bed early and letting your
imagination run riot.

Imagination plays a part on Remembrance Day, too. I was thinking that

one hundred years ago I would have been the enemy. Our
grandfathers fought against each other and our grandmothers prayed
for the destruction of the enemy and the safe return of their beloved
ones. A time of darkness, fear and death descended over Europe. And
yet the light could not be banished- acts of heroism, of loyalty, of
kindness, made small chinks in the armour of Mars on both sides. Out
of this story of destruction a new world emerged with the promise and
hope of never ever again, yet once more darkness and death were
lurking around the corner. Though we think we banished our skeleton
partner in the cupboard the danse macabre is going on and on until
humanity will learn to save not just the daylight but the ideals and
visions it aspires to: love, compassion, justice, peace.

November is a reminder of the eternal fight between light and

darkness, between life and death in the world and in our soul.This
November let us remember, take comfort and solace from our
memories, honour our heroes and then get back to life. So many
candles, so many souls lighted our life and history, but remembering is
not enough. We need to keep the light alive and fight the darkness
outside and within.

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Jesus said: "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot
be hidden... let your light shine before others, that they may see your
good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Let our light shine!

See you at the OMH.

Mária

P.S. The Danse Macabre, also called the Dance of Death, is an artistic
genre of allegory of the late Middle Ages on the universality of death:
no matter one's station in life, the Dance Macabre unites all. The Danse
Macabre consists of the dead, or a personification of death,
summoning representatives from all walks of life to dance along to the
grave, typically with a pope, emperor, king, and labourer. They were
produced to remind people of the fragility of their lives and how vain
were the glories of earthly life.

SUNDAY SERVICES FLOWERS

Nov 4th 6-30 pm Rev Mária Pap Mr Philip Randall

Nov 11th 10- 45 am Rev Mária Pap Mrs E Packard
(in memoriam)
Nov 18th 10- 45 am Rev Mária Pap Vacant
Nov 25th 10- 45 am Congregational Service Mrs J Hacking
Lynn Walton

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STEWARDS

Nov 4th 6-30 pm Mr R Wain

Nov 11th 10-45 am Mrs J Tedds
Nov 18th 10-45 am Mr N Fisher
Nov 25th 10-45 am Mr P Frost

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SATURDAY COFFEE MORNING ROTA CHAPEL OPENING ROTA

Nov 3rd Miss C Wright Mrs C Wycherley Mrs L Walton

Nov 10th Ms A Perry Mrs M Sharpe Mr N Fisher
Nov 17th Miss C Wright Mrs C Wycherley Mr T Williams
Nov 24th Mrs A Binch Mrs J Tedds N Fisher

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DIARY DATES FOR NOVEMBER

Nov 2nd Words, Music, Silence 11-45 am

Nov 6th Derek Taylor Yoga Group 6-30 pm
Nov 7th Women’s League 2-30 pm
Nov 12th Arts and Crafts 7-00 pm
Nov 13th Derek Taylor Yoga Group 6-30 pm
Nov 14th Meditation 7-15 pm
Nov 20th Derek Taylor Yoga Group 6-30 pm
Nov 21st Poetry Group (see page 5) 7-15pm
Nov 24th Pudsey Drive (see page 7) 6-30 pm
Nov 26th Arts and Crafts 7-00 pm
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Nov 27th Derek Taylor Yoga Group 6-30 pm
CONGREGATIONAL SERVICE

This month’s Congregational Service will be held on Sunday, 25th

November, starting at 10-45 am. It will be led by Lynn Walton on the
theme of “Words we have found Helpful and Healing”. You are
invited to share with us any words, sayings or writings, serious or light
hearted, songs or poems, that you have found supportive in living your
life. Offers to Lynn by Sunday, 18th November, please.

THANKYOU to Margaret and Roy Wain who are retiring from doing
the Coffee Morning.

AND PLEASE 1 Anybody who thinks they would like to take over from
Margaret and Roy once every month please let Ann Binch know.

PLEASE 2 There are a few vacant Sundays on the Flower Rota for altar
flowers. Again, please let Ann Binch know if would like to fill a
vacancy.

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POETRY GROUP

There will be a meeting of the Poetry Group on Wednesday, 21st

November, starting at 7-15pm. You are invited to bring with you a
poem to share on the evening’s theme of “A Poem with a November
Flavour about it.” Remember that everyone is welcome – with or
without a poem.

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THE GARDENS

Following discussions within the congregation and the presentation by

Brackenhurst College, Nottingham Trent University over the past 18
months on how to upgrade and enhance our surroundings, Mansfield
District Council has kindly planted new shrubs around our grounds and
provided an engraved log as a feature. As you are all aware, it was a
long hot summer but with careful watering, most of the plants have
grown well and the chapel grounds were much admired by visitors at
Maria’s Induction and the Wedding of Neil and Noriko.
At the end of September the large beech tree has been pruned to
increase visibility and the wild shrubs and trees growing behind the
wall down the slope into the Four Seasons underpass have also been
cut back. Now the final phase of this scheme will see Peace and red
rose trees with red climbers planted in a new bed near the War
Memorial to mark the Centenary of the End of WWI.
We would like to thank Andrew Chambers of MDC Parks for all his
assistance in improving our green oasis in the centre of town.

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REPAIRS TO CAR PARK

Following the erection of a restrictive barrier across the lawn, a

representative of MDC advised that panels which decorate the outer part of
the multi-storey car park were deteriorating from their fixings, having been in
place for 40 years. It is therefore necessary that remedial work be carried out
and the pathway to Stockwell Gate will be partially blocked with scaffold
which will extend to the rear of trees on the large lawned area.

They are to provide car-parking places in the multi-storey block for our
tenants, so we should have space to park around the circle.

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The barrier position on the lawn is to be reviewed so that we might get some
additional space for parking at larger meetings like EMU’s Quarterly Meeting
and Christmas Lunch on December 1st and other special services.
NOTTS HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST

Despite not taking part in the Ride and Stride Fundraiser for Notts
Historic Churches Trust this year because of the UK Cycle Ride in
Mansfield at Heritage Weekend, we have still been awarded £750 from
their own funds towards the upgrade of the heating system in Chapel.

It is hoped that Viv and Dave will be able to organise a Coffee Morning
at their home in the spring to raise funds for this very worthwhile
charity which has been supportive to us over several years.

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A COFFEE MORNING ….. WITH A DIFFERENCE

Coffee Morning will be held at the Public Library, up Ladybrook Lane,

on Tuesday, 13th November, 10-15am until 12-00 noon. At 10-30 am
Derek Smith has been invited to give three of his short “Women’s
First” talks – Nancy Astor, Ethel Wainwright and Elizabeth Blackwell.
Everyone will be welcome.

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PUDSEY DRIVE

There will be a Pudsey Drive on Saturday, 24th November starting at

6-30 pm. Price will be £2-50, including refreshments. All welcome!

There will be a Raffle – gifts for prizes will be gratefully received.

Proceeds to go to Children in Need.

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(If you can play Beetle then you can play Pudsey. If you never played
Beatle then come and learn, it’s great fun!)

100 Years On….

We still send our men and women off to war,

Knowing all nationalities will pay the score.
Some will die with their boots on,
Some will die in their sleep,
Some will die for your tomorrows
And their families left to weep.
The shells will fly all over the place,
Shells are no respecters of gender or race.
As the Moon shines down on a lonely field,
The poppies this year have a goodly yield.
One hundred years on, on Armistice Day,
We still shed a silent tear as we pray.

Alistair Hamilton
12/10/2018

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POST STOP-PRESS Civic Carol Service

The Civic Carol Service will be held in the Old Meeting House on
Monday, 10th December 2018, starting at 7-00 pm.

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