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A selection of articles from our parish magazine
Issue No 106 Christmas 2022
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Vicar’s Letter
Advent Course
It’s All About The Build Up
Favourite Carols
Luke’s Revolting Tale
Making A Mosaic
Christmas Bazaar Memories
The School Nativity Play
Christmas Celebrations In Ukraine
Christmas Pets
Is This Really Want Christmas Is About?
Poems
Obituary
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
On Thursday 8 September, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed away at Balmoral Castle. Millions of people filed past her coffin to pay their respects both at St Giles’s Cathedral in Edinburgh and at Westminster Hall. Her state funeral was held at Westminster Abbey on Monday 19 September, before she was laid to rest at St George’s Chapel in Windsor later that day. People from South Chingford were able to pay their respects in a special Book of Condolence at St Edmund’s Church.
The Prince of Wales ascended to the throne on his mother’s passing, becoming His Majesty King Charles III, and his Coronation is set for Saturday 6 May. The service will incorporate all the pageantry and tradition, whilst acknowledging the role of the King in modern society, and will see the Queen Consort crowned alongside her husband. The Sovereign is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
HM Queen Elizabeth II
Born, 21 April 1926
Ascended, 6 February 1952
Crowned, 2 June 1953
Died, 8 September 2022
Vicar’s Letter
It’s Christmas! Well almost.
As I write, I have not yet heard the first rendition of the Christmas songs that are everywhere in the weeks, often months, leading up to Christmas, but it can’t be far away!
Each year it seems to start earlier, but this year many will be reflecting on how different this Christmas will be. Perhaps you have lost a loved one this year and yes, with the cost of living increases, there will be thought given to how much we can afford. Of course, a major change will be that in over 70 years we have had the Queen’s Speech; this year it will be the King’s Speech, as for the first time in decades we have a new monarch and Head of State.
For most people, all they have known has been Queen Elizabeth, and for much of that time Charles has been the Prince of Wales, a title and role now taken by his soon William. It is taking a while to get used to the changes, and change is not always easy at any time.
When Jesus was born, over 2000 years ago, it was into a world full of changes – nothing new it seems! He also came to bring about change, and for life to continue change is a constant, nothing stands still.
God took on human flesh and became one of us, God-with-us, so that we might know and understand the love of God for God’s creation, which includes us. Yet Jesus was not welcomed by all. King Herod, fearing for his own position, sought him out to kill him, and with his family Jesus escaped to Egypt as a refugee for the first years of his life.
Equally, his teaching later in his life of welcome, inclusion and love for all was not welcomed by the authorities of the day, who did not want the change he offered, and opposed it. Yet still that message of God’s love is there for all who want to accept it, as it was then and as it always will be.
One of those Christmas songs I mentioned has the line ‘I wish it could be Christmas everyday’, and I am sure we all think no thank you, too much hard work, too much cost! But actually when we accept that Jesus’ birth was the catalyst for change in understanding God’s love – not for a few but for all: that God is with each and every one of us, and values and cares for each and every one – then yes! it is Christmas every day.
Happy Christmas
Lesley Goldsmith
Advent Course
This year’s Advent course will be on the theme of the Christmas Story and how it speaks to us today.
There will be three weekly sessions starting on Wednesday 30 November at 8 p.m. Each session is for an hour and will be on Zoom. The three Parishes of StEdmund’s, St Anne’s and St Andrew’s will be sharing the course together.
Zoom enables you to join the group wherever you may be, one participant for our last course used her phone and joined the course as she did her shopping in Tesco’s (other supermarkets are available) now that was multitasking indeed!
You do not need any in depth Bible knowledge just an interest in learning more about one of the key stories at the heart of the Christian faith. Please e-mail us on info@stedmund.org.uk for joining details.
Lesley Goldsmith
It’s all about the build up
A big part of Christmas are the events leading up to the big day. Some of my childhood memories of Christmas started about the middle of November. My Grandma used to make the Christmas Pudding, and we would get to stir the mixture. As a child, it being the middle of November, Christmas seemed so far away. Today, we look at it being only a certain amount of shopping days to Christmas, and how we are going to fit it in to our daily routine.
On 1 December I would get an Advent Calendar. That was the first physical evidence I would get of Christmas, and look forward every day to opening a window to see what picture was behind the door –even down to the 24th. Every year I always knew what the picture was behind the double window, a nativity scene, and to this day I still have a religious Advent Calendar for a bit of nostalgia. These days, lots of Advent Calendars have themes of every day life, with a chocolate or a treat behind each window.
On one evening in December we would go down to the west end and see the Christmas lights and the big Department Stores with their lavish window displays. We would also go and see the big tree and nativity scene in Trafalgar Square, where there was usually carol singers adding a festive feel to our visit –and we still do that today with our grandchildren.
Other things that lead up to Christmas include: the Christmas shopping but now, with the days of online shopping and Amazon deliveries, many people don’t do as much shopping as they used to, especially since the pandemic; and the parties or meals with work colleagues, families, and societies or organisations that you belong to. Now, being a football fan, I would go to some of the matches before and after the festive season.
The Sunday before Christmas, there was always our Carols by Candlelight Service. Our Church had a gallery where I would sit and it was only open once a year for that service. I would have a panoramic view of the lit candles, the decorations and the big Christmas Tree with its many lights.
The day we broke up from school was the day we would put up our Christmas decorations around the house, and then you knew the Christmas holiday had started. The days nearer to Christmas was when our Church would go round the Parish carol singing, and finishing up at a parishioner’s house for refreshments. One of the evenings we would come to our house, where my mum would do the refreshments. We would have her handmade sausage rolls and mince pies, and it was quoted that they were the finest in all Christendom.
Christmas Eve was always a big day in our family. The morning was full of activity. You could smell the preparation of food, run errands, move furniture and getting the best crockery and glasses and all the Christmas goodies in place. All the family would come round and get settled down for three o’clock where, on the radio, we would listen to a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College. To me, that’s when Christmas started.
Later, friends would drop round for a sherry and mince pie, or something a bit stronger. We were all there on Christmas Eve because on some years members of our family would spend Christmas Day with their spouse’s family. When asked once why my Christmas started at three o’clock on Christmas Eve, I said it’s because the BBC told us.
John White
Favourite Carols
For me, it’s all about harmony, melody and whether the blend gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside. Most of John Rutter’s carols seem to have that affect on me but, at the moment, my favourite is ‘All Bells in Paradise’. It was written for the world famous choir of Kings College Cambridge and featured in their 2012 Nine Lessons & Carols broadcast.
Chris South
Christmas is a time when nostalgia reigns, as we wistfully reconnect with the hidden child within us, and yearn to experience the magic that once seemed so real. For me, the sound of Christmas is the type of carols that were the religious folk-songs of my youth – less polished, more earthy, less ‘Hark the herald’ and more ‘There was a pig went out to dig’.
Colin Setchfield
When I was a little boy, about 1958, in Cape Town they had these troupes who came around the houses and sang to you at Christmas. I remember they sang ‘Long time ago in Bethlehem’ (‘Mary’s Boy Child’) and it made me feel good and stuck with me. It became my favourite carol.
Guy Davids
My favourite carol is ‘Hark the Herald Angels sing’ as I get to sing the descant: brings back happy memories of my mum when I used to sing in the choir with her when she was alive.
Kate Alam
My favourite Christmas carol is ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ as I know all thedays off by heart. My favourite day is day 11: Eleven Pipers Piping.
Nina Alam
See amid the winter’s snow: I really like the tune, but also questions are asked of the shepherds in the carol, and they then tell of what they experienced.
Pauline Setchfield
My favourite carol is ‘Joy to the World’. In our youth, we used to do carolling – we knew all the carols – and we went from house to house trying to raise monies for our little Christmas gifts. Of all the carols, this one has stuck with me, and so each time I see a carol sheet I’m looking for it on the sheet. If it’s not there, I’m a little bit disappointed.
George Duberry
‘Coventry Carol’ is my favourite at Christmas. Singing it with my Church and School choirs, it always had a place in my heart, even though the meaning of the lyrics is quite sombre the tune is beautiful.
Amanda Harrison
Katherine Parker’s Christmas song ‘Winds through the olive trees’ has a special importance to me. Every Christmas at Chase Lane School, when I went there in the 1970s, this song would be used at the Christmas Assembly at the end of term. For me, it reminds me of that childhood excitement that Christmas had almost arrived.
Andrew Setchfield
My favourite Christmas Carol is ‘Hark the Herald Angels sing’. I have always enjoyed this particular carol.
Claire Halls
Claire Halls also told us that her favourite Christmas choral work is ‘Messiah’.She said: Written by George Frideric Handle, the premier in Dublin on 13 April 1742 was one of the greatest triumphs of his long career; it is written in three parts and, at the end of part two, is the Hallelujah Chorus – so the story goes that the King stood up during this, and so did the rest of the audience, since when it has been the tradition to stand during the chorus.
Chris South, says: If you’re interested in getting entirely wrapped up in festive cheer, an evening of Christmas carols is an absolute must. Join us on Sunday 18th December at 6.30 p.m. for our traditional candlelit Service of Nine Lessons & Carols, finished off with mince pies and a drink.
Luke’s Revolting Tale
The retelling of the Nativity story each year is the heart of the Christmas celebration: whether that telling is in the Gospel reading, a children’s play or tableau, or in the singing of festive carols and hymns. There is a familiarity to it, and a reassuring ‘comfort and joy’ that warms our hearts, bringing cheer and opportunities to span the years and recall occasions and people no longer with us who, in the past, shared in that storytelling experience. But that familiarity can keep us from exploring deeper into the story, past fluffy winged cherubs and animal-filled birthing rooms to something much darker and more challenging.
The Announcement
In relating the story of Christ’s birth, Luke focusses on the child’s mother. To us – his modern-day audience – this may not seem so surprising, however a quick glance at Matthew’s account (where the central character is the father) will remind us that, in the past, story and history was told mostly from a male perspective. Luke’s protagonist is by our standards a young girl named Mariam (Mary in our translations), who having come of age to marry (around the age of 12), was transitioning from a child to an adult. We are told she was betrothed: meaning that – though not yet married – she had a husband. However, she would not yet be living with him but rather in her parents’ home from which she would rarely leave. This is where we first find her in the story.
Into this scene, a second character appears, a supernatural messenger from God (an angel) named as Gabriel. And yet we are told she is agitated or disturbed by his presence, because this is Gabriel – not an effete feathery nighty-wearer clutching a lily but (as his name translates from the Hebrew) the strong man of God. This unobserved girl concealed in her family home finds herself no longer isolated but in the presence of one whom Jewish literature spoke of as an angel called to incite war in order to destroy the wicked.
Though Gabriel acts as God’s instrument, this set up – of a young woman confronted alone by a male stranger to whom she is not related – seems intentionally designed to shock the accepted customs of the time. This young girl has little power or status, as she waits to turn (in the eyes of her society) from being the property of her father to become the property of her husband; and yet God steps in and interrupts this rite of passage. Gabriel’s message brings a status to the girl not dependent on her relationship to any man but rather from God’s own goodness. The mighty angel speaks, and she is told to “Be happy!” For against all the world’s expectations, God favours those who appear powerless and subjugated, and it is for and through them that he acts and rescues his people.
But, this will not only disturb the whole world around her, it will also impact on her own personal world. In harsh and violent language, this girl is told she will become pregnant, and – unmarried and not living with a husband – in being favoured by God she will become further outcast by society, held in shame: a social pariah. And yet, this young girl (breaking convention) speaks and accepts the upheaval this will bring.
The Song of Liberation
Luke’s story begins with two birth narratives, both involving impossible pregnancies: the other relates to the birth of John the Baptist whose mother was past the age of childbearing. Luke brings the two stories together, casting the two women – one old and one young – as related to each other, and he has Mary leaving her home in haste to visit her kinswoman in a distant mountainous region. We might conjecture whether this part of the story recalls how the young girl may have been sent away from home to conceal the pregnancy, but this episode (though not a regular part of our Christmas story) provides an important commentary on what is happening here.
At their meeting, Mary proclaims a song of justice and liberation: a song that speaks not only of her situation and that of the woman she greets but it is also of the cry of all oppressed people. Her condition as a persona non grata in itself discloses the purposes of God – it magnifies them, writing them large, for all to see. As the presence of Gabriel had intimated, God will not just stand by but rather will flex his muscle and – with his strong arm – the proud will be scattered, rulers will be deposed, and the rich will be banished in poverty. And in bringing justice, the destitute and indigent will be raised out of their poverty, the humble will be crowned, and the hungry will be fed. The violence, suffering and injustice of the world will not be allowed to reign.
The Birth
Luke places the story of her child’s birth firmly in the messy political reality of life. He paints a picture of social upheaval with families returning to their ancestral homes at the decree of an occupying empire. By this time, though Mary is still betrothed, her marital relationship has moved on, as – while heavily pregnant – she now travels with her husband to his home city. Displaced and far from home, with little room to accommodate them, her child is delivered in a humble make-do space. Far removed from palatial power and influence, this new family – though a scion of the ‘House of David’ – portrays the extent of their decline; and yet it is in this fraught and vulnerable place and situation that God is at work.
For Luke, the child’s birth seemingly goes unnoticed by the authorities. He has no King finding the baby a threat to his power and seeking its death. By contrast, to the powerful, the birth of a poor child is insignificant. The child is simply swaddled by his mother and laid in an improvised cot.
The Proclamation
However, for Luke, this child’s birth is of great significance; it is just the audience for that message do not live in palaces or in wealth. The shepherds tending sheep in the countryside beyond the city were similar to the small family of this new-born child in terms of decline.
Shepherding had in former times been a noble occupation: the eponymous founder of the ‘House of David’ had himself first been a shepherd. Though shepherding was important in first-century Palestine, shepherds themselves had, as an occupation, lost social respectability – often despised as untrustworthy, of low status, and victims of prejudice. It is to these outsiders – physically living outside the cities of respectability and pushed outside in rejection by polite society – that the child’s birth is first proclaimed; for his birth is for such as them.
As at the start of Luke’s story, an angel-messenger also appears to them, and again (similar to Mary) – as they perceive him standing there – they are fearful and in turn he tells them to “Be happy!” for their liberator is born. Then suddenly they see not just one figure but the host of heaven – not darting on wings in the sky but – the whole army of God encamped on the hillside about them, and with shouting voice clamouring that prosperity will be established for all people in whom God delights. These are the people of whom Mary spoke in her song – people such as the shepherds, and all who find themselves oppressed and robbed of the dignity that God bestows. Heaven is come to earth – and is prepared to fight.
Luke’s birth story seems quite separate from the rest of his gospel. However, its message anticipates the themes we find later in the book, where he emphasises society’s outcasts: whether that be through ethnic divide, health, wealth or gender. Jesus’s message of salvation in Luke is directed to those who were economically or socially poor in society, and his gospel is a direct challenge to the comfortable, the successful, the powerful. It requires of them and of us to consider how they and we mirror that concern in following Christ in liberating God’s marginalised people wherever they are found.
Luke’s Christmas story is not there to reassure: it is a call to change; it is a call to revolt.
Colin Setchfield
Making a Mosaic
When James Gilder was our Assistant Curate, he led a project with the people of St Edmund’s to create a mosaic of the visit of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary: this is when Mary was told she was to have a child who would be the Son of God. This event is called the Annunciation.
Work on the mosaic started in 2019, but the restrictions during the Coronavirus Pandemic delayed progress. Nevertheless, the project was completed by the time James left St Edmund’s to begin his placement in the Parish of St Mary with Christ Church in Wanstead, in February this year.
As a creative activity that brought people together during the difficult days of Covid, it seemed appropriate that it should become a project dedicated to the struggle of the community here in South Chingford during that time: a time when we lost loved ones and struggled with isolation and uncertainty. Our faith in Christ brought us through that dark time, and the message of hope brought by Gabriel – Fear Not! – mirrors that expectation of something better to come.
The mosaic is now framed and will be blessed by the Bishop of Chelmsford (Guli Francis-Dehqani) when she visits us for out 10 a.m. service on 4 December. It will be available for all to view over Advent and at our Christmas services (close to our Christmas Tree) at its new position by the organ pipes in the south aisle.
Christmas Bazaar Memories
When I was young, one of the highlights of the Church’s year was the annual Christmas Bazaar. It was the pinnacle of the fundraising calendar, and everyone worked to make it both a financial success and a bright and colourfully memorable event. The Bazaar was heralded by Jack Pickett, standing outside the hall in an elongated top hat, ringing a bell, encouraging potential shoppers to come in. There were themes in those days. The first one I remember well was the Nursery Rhyme Bazaar (probably 1980), and all the stall fronts were hand painted with pictures – Humpty Dumpty, Little Bo Peep, and so on. It took a week to erect the Bazaar, with sturdy wooden stall fronts, crepe canopy and coloured lights. The Large Hall was full of stalls, around the edges and in the centre, with full Christmas Dinners served in the Small Hall, prepared by Brenda Smith & Iris Fletcher. In those days, there was a windbreak in front of the main entrance, and to the side of it, opposite the kitchenette area, was a specially-built wooden grotto for Father Christmas. Reg Bennett ran the plant stall, and he would give in £50 every time Ken Smith (as Treasurer) walked round and collected the takings. It was a good idea for Ken to visit as many times as possible, because the amount Reg gave in bore no relation to the amount he took. The servers ran the soap stall – and had done since the Bazaar first began. Deaconess Turner sold sweets with dubious expiry dates, assisted by my brothers; Nellie Braine had an array of homemade pickles. Sam Mayo always had something different, and always irritated Ken because he would go out and buy things (like tangerines from Walthamstow Market) and sell them on for such a small mark up that it was hardly worth all the effort. Betty Walters sold cakes; Hilda Deal sold bric-a-brac; Marjorie Harper (who was in the rag trade) sold nearly new clothes that she had brought back to life; Terry & Betty Carter had an array of toys, many of which Terry built himself; and the Guides and Brownies sold tickets for the raffle, comprising a hamper of tins they had found at the back of their cupboards! My mum, Pauline, ran the Stationery Stall, and my dad, Fred, would take her to a wholesaler in Barkingside to stock up for the event. I helped my mum on the stall for many years and my dad would help when he wasn’t doing his regular job, dressed in a red suit with a big white beard, hoping the Church kids wouldn’t recognise him.
There was a change of emphasis in 1981, when the decision was made to go for an Eastern Bazaar that year. Father Christmas was given the boot, and the Genie took his place in the gotto, courtesy of Charles Arnett. It gave the stallholders the opportunity to dress in exotic eastern dress. The Wild West arrived in South Chingford the following year, as the stallholders swapped their costumes for cowboys and cowgirls at the Western Bazaar. Father Christmas was allowed back, relocated to the stage, giving him a much larger grotto, with a separate entrance and exit, and Charles would get to finally don the red suit. Others who also took turns included Cyril Walters, Eric Ford (the Vicar), and even a reluctant Reg Bennett some years later. Instead of the usual layout, the Large Hall was designed as a winding street in an old western town. Rather than Christmas Dinners that year, Elaine Humphrey took over with burgers and American style fast food, which remained the menu for much of the rest of the decade. The Bazaar went back to the Middle Ages for 1983; but the days of this sort of elaborate feel to the event were numbered. A Victorian Bazaar was held in 1984 and then a strange Party Bazaar, which made stallholder struggle to understand how to dress up, brought the themes to an end in 1985.
Peter Connew, who ran a Soft Toy and Gift Stall, planned the Bazaars at this time meticulously, managing the construction and dismantling of the stalls. At the end of the Bazaar, the aim was to get everything down quicker than the previous year. The Bazaar was open on Wednesday evenings for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, followed by two days of sales to the public: Thursday 2.30 to 7.30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. I just ended up wanting to go home, as it had been an incredibly long day and we all had to get up for Church the following morning, but Jacket potatoes would be cooked in the kitchen while we cleared up ready for when we finished. We would all sit at a long table in the Small Hall to hear how we had done. There were speeches from my dad as Chair of the Bazaar Committee and from Peter on the organisation. Finally Ken would take to the floor to tell us how much we had raised and how this compared to previous years; but his speech was always long and, as he had a bad stutter at that time, we all sat waiting as he struggled every time he hit a particular alphabetical letter.
Those early 1980s Bazaars are probably the ones I have the fondest memories of though, probably because they were the first ones I was in the thick of it. During the 1970s, I had been mainly confined to the Small Hall where the choirboys ran the sideshows under Choirmaster Alf Carter’s watchful eye. By the mid-1980s volunteers were fewer, particularly among the younger post-teenage generation, and the Bazaar slowly began to be scaled back. Red cloths replaced the elaborate stall fronts. From the mid 1980s, community spirit was in decline, as the Government encouraged people to focus more on self. Whereas, in the early years of Eric Ford’s time as Vicar, there had been quite a lot of optimism; Eric lost focus on the death of his mother Emily in 1985, and the difficult time that followed affected everything: there was a lack of fervour and slowly the Parish began to decline. In 1995, when Peter left, I took over organising the Bazaar briefly and tried to bring some life back to it with a Medieval theme and dressing up; but it wouldn’t be until the end of the 1990s that St Edmund’s slowly began to recover.
Andrew Setchfield
The School Nativity Play
I attended a Church of England Primary School in south-east London where I grew up, and every year, we had a Nativity play in the neighbouring Church.
Mary was always played by the prettiest girl with long blond hair and blue eyes and, as one who had short mousy hair and round pink NHS spectacles, I was never going to be cast in that role! Of course, as a young Jewish girl, Mary would have had brown hair and eyes, but this was the 1960s when such matters were not considered.
One role I clearly remember taking was of the Innkeeper, who says “no room at the inn”. In later life I found this very ironic, as my career was in social housing for many years and sadly a phrase we used a lot was no room, no housing!
That little 7- year old was not to know how prophetic her words would prove to be.
Lesley Goldsmith
I worked for 20 years at Hawkswood School for the Deaf in Yardley Lane. Many of these were in the Infant department. Every year the three classes put on a nativity play for their parents. In this particular year, we had chosen as the angel a very pretty girl. She was not very deaf, and did in fact later move back into mainstream school having been given a good boost in her language development by us. Wearing her angel costume of long white dress and large shimmering wings, she did look angelic. We practised the play many times so the children knew what to do, but that year the three shepherds were very laid back. They could not understand why they should be frightened of their friend walking in looking beautiful. All the staff modelled the scene pulling back in fear when the angel appeared but to no avail. We gave up. The parents would love whatever their children did and would think they were wonderful and amazing.
The day of the performance arrived. The classroom was cleared and the scene set. The parents filed in and sat on seats at the back. The children left the room and donned their costumes in the room next door. Mary entered. The angel came and announced to Mary the forthcoming birth. Mary and Joseph set off on a long journey with the donkey, Mary having packed some food and clothes to take, and holding her bag and the baby in place under her dress. They arrived in Bethlehem and Joseph knocked on doors and finally found a place to sleep. The baby was born and placed in the manger. So far so good.
The scene changed to the hillside and our three shepherds sat around the fire with some sheep. The classroom door opened and in came a vision of beauty gliding peacefully until she got to the men sitting around the fire. She had obviously felt our frustration in the practices and decided to sort the problem. All the parents were gazing at her in admiration. So what did she do?
She stretched to her full height, raised her arms and screamed at the shepherds like something from a horror film. She achieved her objective. They were frightened. There was a moment’s stunned silence all round and then everyone laughed. But poor angel, she could not understand the laughter. The shepherds went to the stable. Luckily it was then time for the three kings who entered proudly wearing their crowns. And the angel joined everyone in the stable. Another nativity over and done, but that one has stayed in my mind all these years.
Debbie Watson
“Surely there never was a star as bright”. That was my only line when I was cast as a shepherd in one of the two school Nativity Plays I was in (same role both times). Newly-arrived from Ireland, I spoke it with an Irish accent. The headmistress didn’t like how I was saying the line; “no it’s STAHR” (she said with a long rounded vowel), but I couldn’t say it.
I attended two schools growing up in Ireland, the second a paying one – but neither taught me English, only Gaelic. These days I can only remember two phrases in Gaelic: one is “Please may I leave the room” (from a time I was caught short in class), the other “a hundred thousand welcomes”.
Patrick Archer
Christmas celebrations in Ukraine
Ukrainian Christmas celebration starts on Christmas Eve, usually on 6 January (according to the Julian calendar) or, more recently, 25 December for those wishes to follow the Gregorian calendar. Traditions will vary according to geographical location (East or West Ukraine) and religious affiliation (Orthodox or Catholic). In Soviet days, Christmas was not officially recognised, and believers had to celebrate at home, in secrecy.
The celebration is dedicated to God, the family, and ancestors. The house is decorated with candles and sheaves of wheat (representing the harvest). The dinner table is covered with a richly embroidered cloth, and a few wisps of hay are strewn over it (a reminder of the manger in Bethlehem). Kolach, a special Christmas bread consisting of three braided rings (symbolising the Trinity) is placed in the centre of the table.
The whole family would join for supper (known as Holy Supper). The supper must invariably consist of twelve different dishes (representing the twelve apostles). The first and main dish is made of wheat mixed with poppy seeds and honey (Kutya). Then there is beet soup (Borshch); a rich selection of fish recipes, including fish balls, smoked or marinated herring; and a variety of salads. Boiled dumplings with different fillings (Vareniky) make up the rest of the dishes. A jug with the juice of twelve different stewed fruits (Uzvar) constitutes the dessert, along with dried fruits and nuts.
Finally, prayers are recited by the head of the household, and wishes exchanged. Then the festivities can begin with the singing of carols and songs.
Eleonora Maslennikova-Glover
Christmas Pets
Getting a puppy, a kitten or indeed any animal is very exciting, and so is the idea of surprising someone with one. There are many factors to consider before making such a big, life-impacting decision for someone. We have all seen the quote “Dogs are for life, not just for Christmas”, and how true this is. All animals deserve the best life possible. For dogs in particular, Christmas can be a time of rejection. However many times people are reminded of the above quote, many will still
be unwanted as presents. Adding a pet to the family is a huge commitment and it cannot be discarded when the novelty wears off. When a pet is bought without proper thought or preparation, it can suffer and, after a few months, many end up being taken to an animal shelter or, worse still, left tied up somewhere on the street.
At this time of year dogs and other pets are often left for long periods of time while their owners go to family get-togethers.
You need to ask yourself the following questions when gifting a pet to someone else.
- Has the person getting the puppy or kitten expressed interest in owning a pet?
- Do they understand the long-term commitment involved?
- Do they understand the needs of the animal?
- Can they afford it?
- Do they have the time to look after it properly? This includes multiple daily walks, vet checks, and mental stimulation (playing, affection, etc)
Though the lifespan of animals differ, owners can expect their dogs to be with them for 10 to 15 years or more and cats for 10 to 18 years. Many animals, however, can live much longer and as they get older have ailments that need expensive treatment. Taking care of a pet can be more expensive than expected, so one should consider what expenses there will be before purchasing any animal, such as:
- Food (a well balanced diet and treats)
- Vet care (annual health checks, vaccinations, etc)
- Insurance
- Toys
If you do decide to bring a pet into your family, consider going to an animal shelter where there are lots of lovely animals waiting to be re-homed. Sometimes, pets bought privately come from Puppy Farms where the conditions the animals are kept in are horrendous and cause much suffering to them. Adopting a pet from an animal shelter rescues them from a life of suffering and gives them a life that every animal deserves. All they ask for is a forever home for which they will give you unconditional love.
Pauline Setchfield
Is this really what Christmas is about?
Reindeer (or Caribou) live in the Arctic Tundra. They are used to the quiet of the wilderness, open spaces and cool temperatures. During the Christmas period, up and down this country, reindeer are often used as props for festival displays.
Exploitation starts when these animals endure long journeys to the various events across the country. Camels and donkeys are also sometimes dragged along to these fetes and, just like reindeer, they are also animals which should not be treated like this – paraded around for entertainment.
At garden centres, theme parks and adventure parks, reindeer are often penned in small enclosures, which cause many health issues for them. Reindeer do not belong in a life of captivity and unlike deer, that are native to the UK, they have very different needs. It is difficult for non-specialists to meet their needs when they are kept in small groups at these events.
Dr John Fletcher, of the Veterinary Reindeer Society, has stated that reindeer are not able to cope with the stress of captivity and that most diseases in reindeer in the UK are stress related. While being kept restrained in holding pens during festivals, children and adults are encouraged to pet the animals and take photos. This further stresses them. At some festivals reindeer have to pull sleighs with Father Christmas and a child on board down busy high streets, being exposed to loud noises, bright lights and music.
These animals are not adapted to this sort of life and, using them in this way, is cruel and unnecessary. Animals are a big part of many people’s lives and the Bible tells us to care for them all. Reindeer, camels and donkeys are all sentient creatures. If we really care about animals, perhaps we should boycott these events so that we are not condoning their suffering.
Pauline Setchfield
Poems
Christmas Carol
There is a great gleam of light!
The child Jesus, on earth, this night,
sleeping softly, in the warming glow –
there, where ox, ass and cattle low.
Safe in Mary’s arms, this little life
far away, in dreams, no strife.
Soon, will voices, angels sing
to welcome to us, this true-born King.
Here, is our hope! Our joy to come!
Here is the Christ, God’s begotten Son.
Here, he will guide us, here today!
He, when a man, will guide us on our way!
He is the good, the truth, the right!
Forward to our eternal light!
Cherubin and Seraphin and trumpets sound;
all believers, with joy, dance around.
Our faith is sure; we feel secure;
we will pass by death but we will endure.
We will live in God’s house –
for evermore!
Pam Wigley
The Soul
Delivered into the light through an umbilical bond
with a love that knows no boundaries.
A being nurtured to develop a knowledge of self,
and an understanding of self worth.
A being that can explore and experience
the many pathways of life’s journey.
A being that can enjoy a glorious day,
and withstand the hard knocks of life to continue on its journey.
A journey back to the light, from whence it came,
to join all those who have travelled before it.
Pat Matheson
Obituary
Bernard Hubert Richmond
Born, 13 September 1927. Died, 8 June 2022.
Bernard was the son of Bert & Margaret Richmond. As a family friend of James Gilder (our last Assistant Curate) he was able to put us in touch with Bernard, as Bernard’s family had been significant during St Edmund’s past.
Bernard’s grandfather was George Richmond, who was Churchwarden at St Edmund’s(1923-31) – the Richmond Room is named after him. Bert, Bernard’s father, was Church Secretary (1923-25); and Charlotte or “Sharlie”as she was called, Bernard’s aunt, was Organist (1914-8 & 1921-4). He provided us with copies of some family photographs and, without Bernard’s help, we would have no pictures of these three important people.
“Apparently I was told I was found at a very early age in 1927 under a bush in North Chingford, right on the edge of Epping Forest. I did not like to disillusion my mother as I thought that was not quite right”. Bernard lived in Chingford until 1939, when his father’s work moved away on the outbreak of war. The family could not return as their property had been let, and could not repossess it because of the tenant protection in place at the time, and so they moved to Essex.
“My grandfather, George Joseph Richmond, was Works Manager at Halex (Highams Park) and retired in February 1931, but sadly died before the year was out”. Bernard was only three when George died but recalled: “I do remember the few times I was with him quite clearly. The night he died I was bundled up and packed out with ‘Aunt’ Aggie Brown near the main road, and could hear the trams clanging along”.
George and Margaret Richmond lived at Killarney in Higham Station Avenue. “There was a seven year gap between their firstborn Charlotte, in 1891, and their next child Florence, followed by Albert George (my father) in 1902 and Gertrude, so my aunt Charlotte ruled the roost. Sadly her fiancée was killed in the Great War so, when her younger sister and brother got married, she became a rather embittered lady as she never married. So any visits to my dear grandmother had to be while aunt Charlotte was a work. All very sad. She stayed at home until Grandma died in 1942, when she moved to Leyton, where she became an accomplished needlewoman and silversmith. She was mugged when an old lady, fell badly, and never really recovered”.
“My parents never spoke of their early lives. I know my mother’s father Hubert Denbee, who was a Somerset dairy farmer, moved to Chingford when he got married and took over Normanshire Dairy Farm in 1900 where he expected to be able to sell his milk. There he and ‘Nana’ had two daughters, the first of whom was Margaret and then Grace. Margaret married Albert George Richmond in 1925. My grandfather, Hubert Denbee, had moved back to a farm in Somerset in 1913 – he was a true Somerset man”.
“Hubert Denbee and his family I got to know well over the years, and spent a lot of time with them”.
Many of Bernard’s photographs were published some years back in St Edmund’s Chingford – 100 years serving South Chingford, which recorded the roles of many of St Edmund’s through the years. The book needs updating, but we hope to revise and reprint it in the near future, bringing many of Bernard’s photos back for all to enjoy.
© 2022 St Edmund, Chingford
St Edmund, Chingford 