Heart eat Holy Ascension Church and Community Magazine March 2021
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Heart eat Holy Ascension Church and Community Magazine March 2021
Welcome to Heartbeat …
Many of us will miss preparations For those familiar with The Vicar of
in Church leading up to Easter so Dibley, this view could serve as a
this month’s cover brings a glow of reminder of The Window and the
Spring colour as we move out of Weather episode from Series 1.
Winter towards Mother’s Day and At the unveiling of the new window
the clocks going forward. attended by members of the Parish
But we are all still hoping to view Council, Owen Newitt declares…
the window sill displays of flowers “When it comes to it, you can’t
enhancing the beautiful stained beat God’s own creation can you?”
glass windows which can only be Sometimes a destructive event can
appreciated from the interior. make us see the wonder of God’s
There is one view from the South creation in a new light.
Transept familiar to all who attend
Wednesday morning Communion
and Easter, Christmas and the Copy for the magazine is always
Remembrance services where the welcome. Contributions for the
transept is used for seating. From April issue should be received by
here you can see the trees on the 19 March via the Parish Office or
edge of the golf course through the email
North Transept windows.
The magazine can be viewed
online at
www.holyascension.org.uk/HeartBeat
Or if you prefer we can email you a
copy each month-just let us know
The Church’s logo illustrates its at the above email address.
commitment to be at the heart of the Editorial Team
whole community of Sharon Forsdyke - Editor
Upton by Chester. Graham Barley
The name for the magazine, Sue Burgess
Heartbeat, reflects that commitment. Dave O’Brien
Holy Ascension Mission Statement
'To be the people of God in this place, committed to Christ, to one
another and to Service in the community; together, we worship God
with joy and love and with openness to renewal by the Holy Spirit.’
Online Zoom Services
Holy Communion Sunday 10.00am
Compline Wednesday 8.00pm
Paul is currently streaming these services on a website called ‘Zoom.’
If you would like to join him please email online@holyascension.org.uk
and we will send you the link.
Prayers are being offered by clergy and ministers on behalf of everyone.
If you need to self-isolate (or are in need of prayer and support) please
let us know.
Contact: Reverend Paul Newman on 743325
Church has reopened on Wednesday morning
10.00am till 12.00pm for private prayer
Letter from Paul I would like to share this poem
with you. It’s called ‘The Cross in
I don’t know if you are someone my Pocket’ by Verna Mae Thomas.
who carries around with you
I carry a cross in my pocket,
something special that reminds you
A simple reminder to me,
of someone or something?
Of the fact that I am a Christian,
I know that many people carry No matter where I may be.
around pictures of loved ones or
This little cross is not magic
wear a chain with a pendant on it
Nor is it a good luck charm;
given to them by someone special
It isn't meant to protect me
and many people wear a cross
From every physical harm.
which reminds them of their faith
in Jesus Christ. It is not for identification
For all the world to see.
I was talking to someone a few
It's simply an understanding
months ago and as we were talking,
Between my Saviour and me.
we got on to the topic of faith.
When I put my hand in my pocket
This person pulled out a cross from
To bring out a coin or a key,
their pocket and they went on to
The cross is there to remind me
explain how they take it around
Of the price He paid for me.
with them everywhere they go as it
reminds them of how much they It reminds me too, to be thankful
are loved by God and how God is For my blessings day by day,
always there with them. And to strive to serve Him better
In all that I do or say.
It's also a daily reminder
Of the peace and comfort I share
With all who know my Master
And give themselves to His care.
So I carry a cross in my pocket
Reminding no one but me
They also went on to show me a
That Jesus Christ is the Lord of my
poem which they had found which
life
explains for them why it is so
If only I'll let Him be.
important.
For this person carrying the cross in God of all that was, and is and is to
their pocket was a special reminder come,
for them of Jesus and what He had this present darkness has not taken
done for him. you by surprise;
As a church we are in this time of this daily fearfulness is not outside
Lent; we are fast approaching your love;
Easter, the time when we remind this painful sadness is not beyond
ourselves that on Good Friday your comfort.
Jesus died on a cross and then on Walk with us in our hour of need
Easter Sunday we remember His and hold on to us firmly,
resurrection. as our souls cling to you in hope,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Why? Amen
As it shows us how much we are
loved by God and how far God was
prepared to go to bring us back to
Him.
I pray that you will find this a
comfort, strength and support as
we continue to go through these
strange times.
God Bless.
Paul
God of compassion, who can enter For this is love and nothing else is
where we cannot go and who can love,
touch those we aren’t allowed to The which it is reserved for God
hold… above
Please be our hands and feet, our To sanctify to what far ends He
smile and words, to lighten up will,
their darkness, for nothing is But which it only needs that we
impossible with you. fulfil.
A Prayer in Spring
Martin Payne (author of Messy Prayer)
by Robert Frost
Christian Aid Event Date for your Diary
(Reminder)
The Christian Aid event on the
theme of Passiontide is still
scheduled to take place at St
Mary’s on 24th March at 7.30pm.
We are still hoping to be able to
invite people to attend in person,
whilst also enabling others to
attend via Zoom or watch it on
YouTube afterwards.
As previously shared in February’s
Build on a Strong
Heartbeat, I will read seven of my
Foundation
published stories or poems, while
Michael and Sarah will perform five
pieces of music to take us deeper
still into our theme. The 2021 World Day of Prayer took
place on Friday 5th March but as
we are all aware, Covid-19 is still
If you wish to reserve a place
making an impact on our lives.
please call me or email me on
01244 638441 With this in mind, it was agreed by
trevordennis11@gmail.com our three churches for the event to
take place on Friday 4th June (10
for 10.30 am) at St Columba's
There will be no tickets sold, just Church.
names taken.
This year it is the women of
Trevor Dennis Vanuatu who have prepared the
service, the theme of which is
Build on a Strong Foundation.
Further details (subject to change)
will follow in a future Heartbeat.
Some Say In Ice...
January and February saw us in the
grip of winter, with some stunning
images of snow and ice formations
and temperatures plummeting to
–4 °C on some days...
‘Jack Frost at work’ on a car roof in
Sussex (courtesy of Gary Batchelor)
Cradles of snow made from spider’s
webs from a Worcester kitchen
window (courtesy of Peter Wild)
(courtesy of Jane & Mike Curtis)
‘Herewith I offer you the
Omnipotent Finger of God in the
anatomy of a louse: wherein you
will find miracle heaped on
miracle and see the wisdom of
God clearly manifested in a
minute point.’ Jan Swammerdam
Dean Brook at Barrow Bridge Bolton Dutch biologist (1637– 1680)
(courtesy of Adele Thompson)
Out and About She brought it to me the following
week, and here over a year later
Hello,
Jean and I watched it.
Welcome to the month of March.
The film moved me again to tears,
Days are getting brighter and like the book did all those years
longer and I hope for the Lockdown ago.
to end soon.
Would you watch it because I’m
Jean and I have been watching a lot just ordering 10 copies to share
of TV in the evening. Folks have around the Parish.
recommended things we should
Do ring me on 01244 375782 if
watch and we have enjoyed their
you want to borrow a copy of the
choices. While thinking about this,
DVD. The book may be in the
we suddenly remembered that
library.
Angela, a friend from Church, had
lent us a DVD over a year ago!!! I’m doing OK and looking forward
to warmer times and meeting up
We found the DVD this week, and
with you all.
decided to watch it. It’s called ‘The
Shack.’ I read the book in 2008 and Till the next time.
it had a great effect on me. I could Every Blessing,
not put it down until I had read it.
Dave O’Brien (Curate)
It was written by Canadian, William
Paul Young, who published it
himself. It became a best seller and ‘This garden is your soul. This
sold over one million copies. He is a mess is you! Together, you and I,
Christian and wrote it about Life’s we have been working with a
toughest questions through the purpose in your heart. And it is
gripping story of one man’s wild and beautiful and perfectly
struggle to find answers to his in process. To you it seems like a
suffering. mess, but I see a perfect pattern
emerging and growing and alive
A film was made of the book, The
– a living fractal.’
Shack in 2017, which I did not
know until Angela mentioned it to (Quote From The Shack by
me in Church. William Paul Young)
Dr John Haygarth – To help stem the spread of disease
a pioneer in infection in these areas, he advocated the
removal of the sick from family
As Covid vaccines continue to be homes, no mixing of patients and
administered, we are mindful and the cleaning of bed linen.
grateful of how much research and In 1781 Haygarth introduced
organisation has gone into this principles for the management of
huge undertaking. Here Carol Coles infectious diseases at the Infirmary
takes a look at one of Chester’s including the isolation of patients
early pioneers in medicine. in separate fever wards, good
ventilation, improved cleaning of
the wards and the importance of
Dr John Haygarth was appointed to hygiene.
the staff of the Chester Royal
Infirmary in 1767. The success of these innovations
led to the establishment of fever
During his training in Edinburgh he hospitals in other towns and cities
had been taught the principles of such as Liverpool and Manchester.
fever control and the importance
He retired from his post in Chester
of keeping statistics on the
in 1798 and went to live in Bath
incidence of disease. The most
where he died in 1827.
common infectious diseases that
afflicted the residents of Chester, The University of Chester, in
as with the rest of the Country, conjunction with the local Public
were smallpox and typhus. Health team, annually holds the
Haygarth Public Health Lecture and
In 1774 the Assembly of Chester
one of the buildings forming part
appointed Haygarth to undertake a
of the Countess of Chester Hospital
survey of the residents. This he did
is named after him.
by recording births and deaths in
relation to the living conditions of The 2021 University of Chester
the residents which produced the Haygarth Lecture will take place
correlation between higher death online on 29th June at 4pm.
rates and the crowded, insanitary
housing in narrow streets many Further information will appear in
close to the City Walls. a future issue of Heartbeat.
Crossword
DOWN
1. Intrepid lass free to roam
(8)
2. A bit old to be seeing
someone? (5)
4. Football team playing the
new stadium (4,3.6)
5. The French can use such
language! (5)
6. One partner has it to
copy (7)
7. Remorse heard to be
gold in colour (4)
8. Short jacket for a dance?
(6)
13. Remote idea lost in
ACROSS translation (8)
1. Lose colour and turn deaf (4)
3. A home in wild, wild glen (8) 15. Warmth provided centrally? (7)
9. Writers spend hours at play (7) 16. Arm’s length photo (6)
10. Hearing adversity? (5) 18. Get rid of stunted vegetation(5)
11. Get stuck in beaver’s home? (5) 20. Injury reported - makes tea (5)
12. Shelter for flyers (6) 21. Murphy, given a bashing in the
14. The classrooms, setting for teaching army (4)
staff (13)
17. Standard issue for vicar (6) Answers to February Crossword
ACROSS: 1. Vacant 4. Paddle 7. Sink
19. A tag that upsets Bella (5)
8. Saturate 9. Mushroom 13. Hem
22. Earlier leader of monastery (5) 16. Shrove Tuesday. 17. Air 19. Resisted
24. Ultimate 25. Monk 26. Fondle
23. Weapon I’d put in English river (7)
27. Lapsed
24. Skivvy has Rover’s physique (8) DOWN: 1. Vast 2. Conqueror 3. Taser
25. Employed in religious education (4) 4. Patio 5. Dart 6. Latte 10. Hover
11. Oaths 12. Meets 13. Hedgerows
Answers will appear in the April issue. 14. Mayo 15. Asia 18. Igloo 20. Evade
Crossword compiled by Graham Barley. 21. Ideal 22. Kind 23. SkidHoly
G & M Goold Ascension
Chester’s Most qualified Community
Independent Funeral Directors Hall
The hall is open for
regular bookings
and there is
availability for
regular morning
directors with activities to take
place.
For more
information and to
make a booking
please contact the
Parish Office
Chester Small Business Award Winners Tel 01244 383518
Free Advice on Funeral Planning Email :
office@
Telephone: 01244 319595 holyascension.org.uk
70 Green Lane, Vicars Cross
Chester CH3 5LB
www.gmgooldfunerals.co.uk
Lent Talks
The year’s at the spring,
The text of the Lent talks
And days at the morn;
prepared by David Savage is
Morning’s at seven;
being posted on the St
The hill-side’s dew-pearled ;
Columba’s website which can
The lark’s on the wing;
be accessed via this link:
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in His heaven-
All’s right with the world. Lent Talks 2021 | THE
CATHOLIC PARISH OF ST
COLUMBA AND ST THERESA,
Robert Browning
CHESTER (wordpress.com)
(From Pippa Passes)The Ultimate Creation And this has been circulating on
social media!
The human race is the ultimate
creation, with about 30 to 40 How smart is your right foot?
trillion cells, although scientists are This is bizarre! Just try doing this. It
not 100% certain of this figure and is from an orthopaedic surgeon
five feet of large intestine - the This will boggle your mind and you
width of a queen size bed. will keep trying over and over again
The mechanics of the human ear to see if you can outsmart your
and eye are so intricate that we foot, but you can’t. This is pre-
cannot yet replicate them and programmed in your brain.
there are at least 50 independent 1. Sit on a chair, lift your right foot
processes at work in the human off the floor and make
brain... clockwise circles.
But bizarrely there are some things 2. Now while doing this, draw the
we cannot perform simultaneously. number 6 in the air with your
right hand. Your foot will
change direction.
Just For Fun
Have you ever tried keeping your
eyes open during a sneeze?
It is impossible. Scientists believe it
6
is a protection process instigated
by the brain stem’s sneeze centre
which orders the muscles to
contract from the oesophagus to
the sphincter, and these muscles
also include the eyelids.
It is also believed that this action
helps to prevent expelled particles
It is impossible and there is nothing
from entering the eyes, which is of
you can do about it!
particular use at the moment….‘Behold I am making all things new…’
Sunrise in Chester
Photos courtesy of Matt Baker MMus (Director of Theatre in the Quarter)
‘Amazing–these are the things
which make us believe that God
exists and he works even when we
can’t see or feel it. You can
imagine every day he makes
changes; no day which looks like
the other and all this beauty is
just for us.’
Frogspawn in a garden pond Cecilia Ndugire
Canal reflections
courtesy of
Sally PowellSomething for Younger Readers & Families
For The Beauty of the For the sake of the future of planet
Earth we must ignore the deniers
Earth...
and, instead, concentrate our
Many of us may have been attention on the Paris Agreement
watching A Perfect Planet and of 2015 which aims to keep global
marvelling at what an amazing warming to a limit of 1-5 c. This is
resource and creation we live on. almost certainly the maximum
However, we all know we cannot increase consistent with preserving
sustain our existence without some life on Earth as we know it.
significant changes. Chris Reeve
Here, one Church member shares Heartbeat welcomes thoughts on
his thoughts on climate change.. this subject.
Our planet is warming. This is a
controversial comment to make.
There are many like Sir David
Attenborough for one, who actively
support the warming idea; indeed,
he has written a book outlining his
ideas.
At the next online Exchange
Back in 1937 the carbon dioxide Session, Chester Zoo will be joined
content of the atmosphere was by MSC student Alfie Martin-
280 parts per million. By 2020 this Parsons whose studies are
had increased to 417 parts per informing the development of the
million: a substantial increase. Due Chester Wetland Centre Project.
to the pandemic there was a
Wednesday 31st March 7pm-
reduction of about 7% but the
8.30pm on Zoom. Book here:
increase has now been nullified.
The Chester Wetland Centre: Creating a
There are, however, those who Perfect Wetland (online talk) Tickets,
deny climate change. Among these Wed 31 Mar 2021 at 19:00 | Eventbrite
are the fool who claims that the ‘When we try to pick out anything
co-ordinated global action required
(in nature) by itself, we find it
to offset climate change resembles
connected to the whole universe.’
communism!!
John Muir Naturalist (1838 – 1914)Farewell Bishop Keith Poetry Break
The next poetry break is being
hosted by Revd David Herbert and
will take place on Zoom.
Thursday 11th March at 11am till
12.30 pm and on continuing
Thursdays thereafter.
For more details contact
After 14 years in the post, Bishop janehood@chester.anglican.org
Keith Sinclair retired as Bishop of Tel: 01928 718 834 ext 257
Birkenhead on 7th March. Bishop
Keith’s final service as Bishop of ‘Creativity is just connecting
Birkenhead was held on Sunday 7th things. When you ask creative
March in Chester Cathedral. people how they did something,
they feel a little guilty because
Due to Covid, attendance at the
they didn’t really do it, they just
service was restricted. However
saw something. It seemed obvious
you can watch the service online at
to them after a while.’ Steve Jobs
(70) Bishop Keith Farewell Service -
YouTube
Holy Ascension has made a
contribution to Bishop Keith’s
leaving gift and we wish him well in
his retirement.
‘May the strength of God pilot us,
Bishop Keith has been contributing may the wisdom of God instruct
to the Lenten Journey which this us, may the hand of God protect
year focusses on the environment. us, may the word of God direct us.
The Daily Reflections can be Be always ours this day and for
accessed via this link: evermore.’
Diocese of Chester | Lent
(anglican.org) Amen
St PatrickThe Triumph of Arts I expect many of us have seen an
and Sciences event in this building. Maybe you
watched The ATP Champions Tour
There are some buildings which Masters one December, or Cirque
scream culture: The Cavern, The De Soleil, or watched a ballet or
Minack Theatre, Manchester’s opera there. Or perhaps you, your
Bridgewater Hall and Chester’s children or grandchildren had their
Storyhouse but none is as iconic or graduation ceremony there.
globally recognisable as the
Maybe you were in the audience at
elliptical edifice that sits opposite
one of the national Brass Band
Kensington Gardens like an
Championships, at a Festival of
elaborate celebration cake plonked
Remembrance or were one of the
on a roundabout…
many women at the National
Inaugurated on 29th March 1871 Congress of the Women’s Institute
with the dedication ‘the triumph of where the idea for that famous
arts and sciences,’ it staged 36 calendar was discussed...
shows during its first year. In non-
Perhaps you saw Big Daddy and
Covid times the number of events
Giant Haystacks take on Kendo
reach nearly 400 in the auditorium
Nagasaki and Rex Strong in 1977 or
with many hundreds more taking
maybe you were a promenader at
place outside each year.
that music festival which takes
The Albert Hall has become so place between July and September
much more far-reaching than its or attended the Brit Awards one
original conception as The Central year.
Hall of Arts and Sciences.
I was there with my family on 26th
May 1983 at the Kids from Fame
concert, although I’m not sure my
parents enjoyed it as much as my
brother and I, as it was very
different to the Christmas Festival
of Carols we had seen three years
previously, compered by Richard
Stilgoe and featuring four of the
original Kings Singers.However, the one event that will So as this venue turns 150 this
remain with me forever is seeing year, we have the opportunity to
Cliff Richard on Easter Saturday in share our experiences of an event
1991 at the end of his Gospel we have attended at what was
Charity Tour. (I am not an ardent once dubbed the ‘Village Hall of
fan but when the chance for a last the Commonwealth.’ Just visit
minute ticket came up, I took it). #RAH150 | Royal Albert Hall —
The event took the form of an Royal Albert Hall to add yours.
interview with Bill Latham in the Sharon L Forsdyke
chair. Cliff shared how he came to
This is the inscription on the 800
faith and sang some of his pop hits
foot long terracotta frieze that
but the pinnacle of the evening
skirts the outside of the building:
came when he performed The Old
Rugged Cross, a cappella (without
instrumental accompaniment.) ‘This hall was erected for the
advancement of the arts and
It was one of those spiritual times
sciences and works of industry of all
when the hush in the auditorium
nations in fulfilment of the intention
was solid enough to cut through, of Albert Prince Consort. The site
as everyone was in awe. was purchased with the proceeds of
the Great Exhibition of the year
MDCCCLI. The first stone of the Hall
was laid by Her Majesty Queen
Victoria on the twentieth day of
May MDCCCLXVII and it was opened
by Her Majesty the Twenty Ninth of
March in the year MDCCCLXXI.
Thine O Lord is the greatness and
the power and the glory and the
victory and the majesty. For all that
is in the heaven and in the earth is
(For fans of the Peter Pan of Pop, Thine. The wise and their works are
Cliff will be returning to the Royal in the hand of God. Glory be to God
Albert Hall in October this year to on high and on earth peace.’
celebrate his 81st birthday!)Creativity... Mallarmé's friend, artist Édouard
Manet made four wood-engraved
God’s Gift to Us
embellishments which were
When I heard a recent explanation printed in black, and hand-tinted in
on BBC Radio 3 behind the pink by Manet himself.
inspiration for Claude Debussy’s
composition L'après-midi d’un The poem is considered to be
faune it got me thinking: how many Mallarmé's best-known work and
other works of creativity owe their stands as a hallmark in the history
existence to another? of symbolism in French literature.
French philosopher, essayist and
This work, considered to be a
poet Paul Valery also cited it as the
turning point in the history of
greatest poem in French literature.
composition, also established
Debussy as one of the proponents Debussy’s work in turn provided
of modern music. As composer the basis for the ballet Afternoon
Pierre Boulez observed ‘the flute of of a Faun choreographed by Vaslav
the faune brought new breath to Nijinsky and a later version by
the art of music.’ Jerome Robbins.
Yet, the poem L'après-midi d'un
faune by Stéphane Mallarmé which
inspired it had a shaky start in life.
Mallarmé submitted the work to
Théâtre-Français in 1867, where it
was rejected. Ten years later the
poem was resubmitted under the
title Improvisation d’un Faune to
the publisher Alphonse Lemerre,
who also rejected it despite having Mallarmé's poetry would provide
published other work by the poet. the inspiration for other composers
Mallarmé submitted it to Alphonse including Maurice Ravel in Trois
Derenne, bookseller, publisher and poèmes de Mallarmé, Darius
editor of medical books who Milhaud with Chansons bas de
published it in 1876 under the title Stéphane Mallarmé (1917) and
L'après-midi d'un faune. Pierre Boulez in Pli selon pli.The little known poet Ernest And then there are the 20th
Dowson is another who inspired at Century examples of the musicals
least three others with lines from West Side Story and My Fair Lady,
his poetry.. based on Shakespeare’s Romeo
and Juliet and George Bernard
Shaw’s Pygmalion respectively.
I have forgot much, Cynara! gone There is also Doctor Dolittle whose
with the wind, name first appeared in letters by
Flung roses, roses riotously with the author Hugh Lofting sent to his
the throng, children from the trenches in the
Dancing, to put thy pale, lost lilies First World War. He set the stories
out of mind; in the fictional English village of
But I was desolate and sick of an Puddleby-on-the-Marsh in the
old passion, West Country.
Yea, all the time, because the
There then followed a series of
dance was long:
children’s books starting with The
I have been faithful to thee,
Story of Doctor Dolittle in 1920
Cynara! in my fashion.
which led to a succession of film
(Third stanza from Non Sum Qualis adaptations starring Rex Harrison,
eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae Eddie Murphy and more recently
1894) Robert Downey Jnr.
The line gone with the wind was
the inspiration for Margaret
Mitchell's title for her epic novel
and Cole Porter paraphrased the
final line in this quoted passage in
his song Always True to You in my
Fashion from Kiss me Kate… For many years I actually believed a
Ernest Dowson is also credited with llama had two heads, so taken was
the first use of the word soccer in I with the push-me-pull-you…!
the English language, although he So I have created this image by
spells it socca, possibly because at putting two together … the
that time the word had not been wonders of technology and the
standardised in written form. creative mind!During our enforced Lockdown ‘Knowing the cause of the virus
Colin Foden, one of our Church and its subsequent devastating
Wardens, rediscovered his old effect, the human pain and loss
painting hobby. which has been and is still being
Colin writes, 'I'm not what you endured by so many, I would
would call an artist, more a imagine there is a tinge of guilt
copyist. Currently I am inspired by attached to people's 'enjoyment'
two landscape artists, Benjamin at discovering new and
Williams Leader R.A. (1831-1923) rediscovering old hobbies and skills
and Clive Madgwick R.B.A.(1934 - during the resultant Lockdowns. To
2005) and am finding enjoyment in those of us, then, who have been
attempting to recreate the able to keep well and occupied
different styles they employed, in during this global crisis, let us not
particular, painting the changing forget, at its end, to be thankful.’
scenes of the countryside over the
four seasons.' ‘Creativity is contagious, pass it
on.’ Albert Einstein
If you have any examples of how a
piece of work has inspired your
creativity, Heartbeat would love to
hear from you. The Editor
The title of this article has been
After Benjamin Williams Leader adapted from a quote by the
American teacher Julia Cameron…
‘Creativity is God’s gift to us.’
She also said: ‘Using our creativity
is our gift back to God.’
And if you want a fine example of
God’s creative gift, check out the
Creation window in the Refectory
at Chester Cathedral.
After Clive MadgwickNew Words Festival has just announced its first ever virtual book festival. This festival celebrates North West Independent Publishing and is supported by public funding from Arts Council England. Amongst the many online events there will be workshops, readings and writers talking about their new books. The first few days have already sold out, but there are still tickets for events between 11th March and 26th March. Events take place on Zoom and many are free. For more information visit New Words Festival announced for March - Time To Read (time-to- read.co.uk)
The Starlight Night Blue Outing
Two weeks ago I saw a flash
Look at the stars! look, look up at
followed by a tiny splash.
the skies!
Then out he flew, fish in beak
O look at all the fire-folk sitting in
Up to the willow for a feast.
the air!
But what is this?
The bright boroughs, the circle-
Can it be true?
citadels there!
Kingfishers aren’t really blue?
Down in dim woods the diamond
It’s the structure of their feathers,
delves! the elves'-eyes!
refracting light in sunny weather.
The grey lawns cold where gold,
A cure in that magic sight,
where quickgold lies!
to gloom and pessimism’s blight.
Wind-beat whitebeam! airy
A cure repeated in the telling
abeles set on a flare!
of nature’s artistry and cunning.
Flake-doves sent floating forth at
But in looking for this cure
a farmyard scare!
what other cameos I will spot
Ah well! it is all a purchase, all is a
Lingering there by Chemistry Lock?
prize.
Elizabeth Bentley (February 2021)
Buy then! bid then! — What? —
Prayer, patience, alms, vows.
Look, look: a May-mess, like on
orchard boughs!
Look! March-bloom, like on
mealed-with-yellow sallows!
These are indeed the barn;
withindoors house
The shocks. This piece-bright paling
shuts the spouse
Christ home, Christ and his
mother and all his hallows.
Gerald Manley Hopkins
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To advertise in this magazine please email us at heartbeat@holyascension.org.ukVicar
Paul Newman 743325
vicar@holyascension.org.uk
Curate
Thank you for your continued Dave O’Brien 375782
support of the food bank which curate@holyascension.org.uk
provides 3 days of emergency Church Wardens
food for local people in crisis. Mike Curtis 313152
Colin Foden 381094
At the current time there is no churchwarden@holyascension.org.uk
collection box in church but
Reader Emeritus/ Churches
most of the major supermarkets Together in Upton
have collection points. Barbara Capstick 380299
PCC Secretary
Urgently needed items: pccsecretaryha@gmail.com
Small bottles of cordial PCC Treasurer
Sue Burgess 380340
Cup a soup
treasurer@holyascension.org.uk
Instant mash
Electoral Roll Secretary
Tinned potatoes Jean May 381429
Tinned tomatoes Church Fellowship Leaders
Long life juice Barbara Capstick 380299
Carrier bags Margaret Brizell 381404
Director of The Samara Trust
Graeme White 312758
Views expressed in this magazine Parish Safeguarding Coordinator
are not necessarily those of the Angela Blundell :
Editorial Team, the Clergy, the safeguarding@holyascension.org.uk
Parochial Church Council,
or of any authoritative body of
the Church of England.You can also read
