Holy Week facts. a greek easter. baptisms. patron saints. wpcu reports

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1 Holy Week facts a greek easter patron saints baptisms wpcu reports Chaplaincy of Aquitaine Spreading the Word March 2016

2 The Chaplaincy of Aquitaine is part of the Church of England Diocese in Europe, working in partnership with The Intercontinental Church Society, in ministry to people who speak English. It covers Gironde, Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne. WEDNESDAY 02 MARCH 19:00 Prayers at the Cross with Communion Saint Antoine de Breuilh (near Ste Foy la Grande) FRIDAY 04 MARCH 16:00 World Day of Prayer Ribérac Hospital Chapel 16:00 World Day of Prayer - Temple Protestant, av. du Maréchal Leclerc, Mérignac (33700) 20:00 World Day of Prayer Castelmoron, Lot et Garonne SUNDAY 06 MARCH 10:30 Service of the Word Bertric Burée 10:30 Family Communion Bordeaux 10:30 Prayer & Praise Limeuil 10:30 Morning Worship Chancelade 11:00 Holy Communion Doudrac 11:00 Prayer & Praise Sainte Nathalène 15:00 French-Madagascan Family Communion - Bordeaux 16:00 Evensong Bertric Burée TUESDAY 08 MARCH 11:00 Holy Communion - Allez WEDNESDAY 09 MARCH 11:00 BCP Morning Prayer Bertric Burée SUNDAY 13 MARCH 10:30 Holy Communion Bertric Burée 10:30 All Age Worship Bordeaux 10:30 Fresh Expressions Eymet Salle des Fêtes des Marguerites 10:30 Holy Communion Limeuil 10:30 Morning Prayer - Monteton 10:30 Family Service Négrondes 11:00 Prayer & Praise - Condom WEDNESDAY 16 MARCH 19:00 Prayers at the Cross with Communion Saint Antoine de Breuilh (near Ste Foy la Grande) THURSDAY 17 MARCH 10:30 BCP Holy Communion - Limeuil SUNDAY 20 MARCH 10:30 Family Service Bertric Burée 10:30 Family Communion Bordeaux 10:30 Holy Communion Chancelade 10:30 Morning Worship - Dondas 10:30 Morning Worship - Limeuil 10:30 Prayer & Praise Monteton 11:00 Holy Communion Sainte Nathalène CHURCH SERVICES, MARCH 2016 (see Around the Chaplaincy for location details) MONDAY 21 MARCH 17:00 Evening Prayer Bertric Burée TUESDAY 22 MARCH 17:00 Evening Prayer Bertric Burée WEDNESDAY 23 MARCH 17:00 Evening Prayer Bertric Burée THURSDAY 24 MARCH 11:00 Holy Communion Chez the Roberts, Le Mouret, Condom 17:00 Holy Communion Limeuil 16:00 Holy Communion Monteton 17:00 Holy Communion Bertric Burée FRIDAY 25 MARCH 12:15 Prayers at the Cross Bias, Villeneuve sur Lot 14:00 Prayers at the Cross - Dondas 14:00 Prayers at the Cross - Doudrac 14:00 Prayers at the Cross Monteton 14:30 Prayers at the Cross Négrondes 14:30 Prayers at the Cross Bertric Burée 19:00 Meditations and Anthems - Bordeaux 20:00 Ecumenical Prayers Tocane SUNDAY 27 MARCH 10:30 Easter Service with Holy Communion Bertric Burée 10:30 Family Communion Bordeaux 10:30 Easter Day Celebration Eymet Salle des Fêtes des Marguerites 10:30 Holy Communion Limeuil 10:30 Holy Communion - Monteton 10:30 Easter Service with Holy Communion Négrondes 10:30 Holy Communion Saint Médard 11:00 Holy Communion - Doudrac 11:00 Easter Service with Holy Communion Sainte Nathalène 11:00 Holy Communion - Condom THURSDAY 31 MARCH 11:00 Morning Worship Condom U Clerical Corner Reaching Out Together in 2016 At this time of year I inspect my garden daily looking for new life, new growth and new colour. Soon I will be sowing seeds and putting out new plants raised from cuttings. How appropriate that this is the season we celebrate Easter: death defeated, heaven opened for us, new resurrection life - God s own life shared - life in all its fullness offered to us. Life in colour! This is something worth celebrating! Something worth telling others about After the disciples received the Holy Spirit and were empowered to be witnesses for Jesus nothing could stop them spreading the message of life, hope and joy. The religious leaders were much annoyed and arrested Peter and John. They ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus but Peter and John answered them, Whether it is right in God s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard. My daily Bible readings recently have been about John the Baptist as recorded by Luke. Zechariah, John s father, spoke prophetically about him in Luke 1: and in Luke 3 we learn that John was a voice crying in the wilderness. John knew clearly that he had been chosen to prepare people for the coming Messiah by announcing the good news. It may not have seemed like good news because he was calling on them to repent or face judgment. He warned them to turn back to God and to behave in ways which were appropriate to their position as God s people, to bear good fruit in their lives. John did not want to draw attention to himself but to point people to the one who was coming, who was more powerful than him and who would baptise, not with water, but with the Holy Spirit and fire. U U U UU U John was single minded and although he gained a lot of followers, he did not seek attention or adulation. He spoke out unafraid for his own safety when he saw sin and wrong doing, even when it applied to Herod and his relationship with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. It was for this that he was imprisoned and then beheaded. In some ways we have a similar calling to John the Baptist and we can take inspiration from him. Clearly, our message is not the same as John s, neither does God require us to dress in an unusual way and live on a diet which would challenge the most abstemious amongst us, and we will probably not be be-headed as a result of what we say, although the majority of Christians in the world today are persecuted for their faith and many do face death because of their witness to Jesus. Like John, our task is to point people to Jesus not to ourselves. Like the early disciples, we have the wonderful resource of God s Holy Spirit providing for us the opportunities to speak, to give us the words and to open the ears of those we talk to. As a church, we can consider different ways of reaching out with the good news of Jesus and bringing people in and there may be people who will respond to an invitation to worship with us over Easter, but there will be others for whom this is a step too far; those for whom public worship either has bad memories for them or is an alien environment in which they will feel uncomfortable. I know of people who have been converted by hearing a sermon or through being part of a church family but most will come to Christ through the simple witness of a friend or family member. It can be surprising to discover that people do have questions about the nature of faith and about prayer. Each of us has our own network of friends/ family/contacts who are presently outside of the church. This is where the best opportunities are to share the love of God both in action and in word. It is our individual witness to the life of God within us that will draw others to Jesus. Do others see something different in our lives that makes them want to know more? I suspect that people are more open to good news of Jesus seen in our lives that we might think why not take a risk sometime? In the UK, I enjoyed using my bus pass and I prayed for encounters with people at the bus stop or on the bus. I had some very good conversations which certainly blessed me. David enjoyed watching his football team in the local pub, he would wear his dog collar and get into very deep conversations with the men gathered there. We can all pray for God-given encounters where we can get something of our faith into the conversation in a natural way. It may be to tell someone about an answer to prayer or a sense of peace that came through prayer. We don t need to give a full theological explanation - it is personal testimony that touches people s hearts and will encourage them to find out more. Our focus this year on Reaching out together acts as a wake-up call to us. We too have a message to proclaim and God calls each one of us to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8) both in word and deed. He tells us to Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And he gives us the power to do it. Let us also encourage one another by praying for each other in our individual witness. Angela Marshall Spreading the Word March Spreading the Word March

3 From your Editor What a great holiday Bob and I had on our Caribbean cruise! You can read a little about it on page 10 and I hope to tell you about one or two of the churches we saw in future issues. We were very well looked after on the ship and found the islands we visited very interesting though seeing the difference between the richer and poorer sections was sometimes rather disturbing. Everyone was very friendly though and obviously pleased to have the tourists to help their economies. I hope you are noticing some slight changes to your magazine this month! Many thanks to Charlotte for designing the new banner for our cover. The other changes are more subtle but I did feel it was time for a bit of a revamp. And what a lot of information for you to read about. Please have your diaries ready to mark down the important dates you will see. And don t forget that if you are a UK expat and have lived in France for less than 15 years you can vote in the EU referendum. See the advert on page12. Happy Easter to you all. Gill A Prayer for Eastertide Lord of creation and God of grace, we thank you for the yearly miracle of the spring, as the earth awakes from its winter sleep and is arrayed again in the glory of resurrection life. May a similar miracle of grace take place in our lives this Easter. Send into our hearts the Spirit of the living Christ, to raise us to newness of life and to clothe us with the beauty of his holiness, for your honour and glory. Amen. Our New Chaplain we re getting there! It s so frustrating, we so want to shout the name of our new Chaplain from the rooftop but we cannot just yet! The finishing post is in sight but there is just one final obstacle to clear before Bishop Robert can give us the green light to make the final announcement. Everything is signed and sealed as we wait for the Bishop s final approval. When our new Chaplain was interviewed he told the interview team that he would be unable to start until mid-summer. He had made a commitment to his present parish to see his Deacon installed as a priest before he made any move. So his start date here will be 1 August. Normally at this time our Chaplain has a low profile and this may well be the case this year as well. And so we come to the reason for changing the date for the Chaplaincy AGM. The new Chaplain together with his wife will be house-hunting here in Aquitaine during this week. They plan to be with us on 9 April during the AGM. Please take this opportunity to come and meet them ahead of their formal arrival in August. New date for the Chaplaincy and Chap Aid AGM s: these will now be held on Saturday 9 April at Doudrac. We realise this change will be inconvenient for some and for this we apologise but the change is being made with best of intentions. David Albrecht and Paul Mazzotti Chaplaincy Wardens 24 February 2016 CHAPLAINCY DAY Sunday 29th May at the beautiful abbey of St Avit Senieur 3:00 p.m. Chaplaincy Eucharist 4:00 p.m. Picnic (and rehearsal for United Chaplaincy Choir*) 5:15 p.m. Festival of Praise (featuring the award-winning UCLAN Choir, the United Chaplaincy Choir and Congregational singing.) (*All singers from across the Chaplaincy are welcome to sing in The United Chaplaincy Choir. Music will be sent out to each centre and there will be a rehearsal on the day led by Richard Hunt of Bordeaux) This will be an uplifting day! We hope that people from across the Chaplaincy will join us. Why not bring a friend...perhaps someone who hasn't been to church for a while? The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity January 2016 Apart from attending a local service a few years ago, I m sorry to say I hadn t had much experience of The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This year was very different, because I had the pleasure of taking part in five services. At St Foy La Grand, Bergerac, Sarlat, Paunat and St Avit Senieur. I suppose you could call that total immersion! I have so many positive memories from the week, including walking into a jam packed church at St Foy La Grande with over 300 adults and children. Because I was the new deacon on the block I was asked to give two interviews to local church publications, telling our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters all about myself. Each service seemed to have its own energy and identity but at every one there was a an amazing feeling of unity amongst the leaders and the congregations. I had the pleasure of meeting leaders from the Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Evangelical churches, many for the first time, I was given such a warm welcome by them all and I look forward to working with these new friends in the future. The service at St Avit Senieur Charlotte Spreading the Word March Spreading the Word March

4 and news of some more unity... The Carol Service at Montcaret Breaking new ground with a Christmas Carol service seemed a timely thing to do. Retiring to this part of the Dordogne in the canton of Velines in 2007, with no worship centre within easy reach, it seemed the right moment to organise something in the community that would have a chance of good support. We had the advantage of having been involved in the English / French Association, a local choir, and helping out with an English class for local people. When we first arrived we became involved with the Catholic parish and the local priest at that time asked Anthea if she might help them out by playing the organ for mass and assist with the Church music, really picking up the reigns from where she left off in England. So when I was not taking a Sunday Eucharist in the Chaplaincy, we felt called to respond. The strengthening of ecumenical relationships is something we have always felt a need to embrace. Monday night practices are well attended and an important strand in community life so with one or two of the English worshippers we launched the idea of a carol service in We chose to hold it in the Church at Montcaret as it is central and easily found. The current parish priest, Abbe Torcel, gave his support and by October we began organising. We introduced the carols to the folk at our Monday night practice and they were keen to learn them in English and be part of the initiative. We chose a French carol in amongst and one of the readings was to be in French to give a feeling of inclusion. We had no difficulty in finding readers. All the readings were provided with a French translation. Amy in Chaplaincy Office did us proud organising the printing of the service booklets and publicising it in the Chaplaincy magazine. Trudi Higgins, who played the flute on the night, produced our many posters which we distributed two weeks in advance across the local community and well beyond, using supermarkets and shops. Iain and Diana McGory helped Anthea to organise the mulled wine and various English friends made the mince pies. Paul Vrolijk gave an imaginative and encouraging address and people responded with heart and voice on the night and 130 souls returned home after celebrating the evening together with mulled wine and mince pies. In 2015 we decided to risk it again. We were delighted to welcome our acting Chaplain, Bramwell Bearcroft who came to lend his support to the occasion. We were also joined by Abbe Torcel who read the gospel. We had two flautists this time as well as our usual organ accompaniment. The singing was even more confident and it became an act of worship that had taken hold in the community. Let us pray that God s Holy Spirit will continue to bring people together to share the best we can offer. And now, thanks to Abbe Torcel giving permission to use the church at St. Antoine de Breuilh we have: The Way of the Cross Using the stations of the cross we follow the tradition of being with our Lord on his final journey to Golgotha. Using hymns, readings and prayers we use the opportunity to reflect on these moments of the passion as we continue with our own Lenten journey to Holy Week. We conclude with a short celebration of communion. Wed 7th and Wed 16th March 7pm Le Breuilh Church, St. Antoine de Breuilh Fr. Stephen Traves More information & directions from Father Traves fr.s.traves2@gmail.com A hymn especially associated with Palm Sunday is All glory, laud and honour ; and there is a nice story about its origin. On Palm Sunday AD821, a crowd had gathered in the ancient French city of Angers to see the annual procession of dignitaries headed by the king, pass through the streets. Their route went by the cloisters where Theodulph, Bishop of Orleans, had been imprisoned and deprived of his bishopric for supposedly plotting. As the procession drew level with his cell it came to a halt, for a voice could be heard singing something that they had never heard before, All glory, laud and honour. The king listened, deeply moved, and when he discovered that the singer was the imprisoned Theodulph, he ordered his immediate release and restoration as a Bishop. Further, he commanded that the lovely hymn should be sung every year during the Palm Sunday procession. Cooking in March with Frances Pengelly I m always fascinated by any sort of pilgrimage and have always wished to go travelling to Santiago de Compostela the hard way. Unfortunately it was not to be, age has caught up with me and precluded this wonderful, terrifying walk. Twenty years ago I went to the magnificent city of Santiago de Compostela with a friend in my battered old car. The Cathedral is beautiful, the giant censer extraordinary, the atmosphere peaceful and friendly. The statues of St James worn away by the touch of endless pilgrims, their hands looking for blessing from the cold saintly stone figure of St James. Sadly the streets are full of souvenir sellers, however I bought a silver shell which has been with me ever since. The scallop shell or coquille is the emblem of the Compostela pilgrim. In the sunny spring kitchen I have four lovely scallops ready to do something with. A friend has shelled them for me, they are ready to cook. First though, I must find out all about this interesting sea food. The months of October to April are the season to eat these French delicacies. They are the main fishing haul off Brittany and Normandy during these months. The time the fishermen have to collect them is only 45 minutes a day. Everything is tightly controlled otherwise they would be fished out very quickly. Apparently the Baie de Saint-Brieuc is full of these wonders and last year 5,000 tonnes were fished. The regulations started in 1990 when stocks of scallops were down to 10% of the early 1970s supply. There was panic all round. All is being done today to help the scallop breed for future years. They eat from 30 or so species of micro-algae. A close watch is kept on these algae, as some can be harmful. Testing is done very carefully. Always buy the best scallops you can afford, and this means really fresh. When it comes to cooking them, they are very simple. Sear in a pan for one minute a side, they must be translucent in the middle and nut brown on the outside. Serve with a good homemade dressing of lemon or orange vinaigrette with parsley. They like sweet accompaniments like apple pureé and pea pureé is a must. Try wrapping them in bacon, people eat them with black pudding, all pre-fried of course. Serve them sliced raw in a a carpaccio and dress them again with some sort of vinaigrette. In fact they are one of nature s wonders, to enjoy. Have you decided what you will have for Easter lunch? I certainly think a starter of scallops would be in order. For the main course something simple like slow roast lamb. Pre-heat oven to 160/3gas. Peel and thinly slice 6 large waxy potatoes and 3 onions, put in a bowl and add a large quantity of leaves from a thyme bunch. Season and start layering the vegetables in a roasting tin. Add a 2kg shoulder of lamb which you pierce all over and put in a whole garlic, clove by clove in the holes. Pour over 600ml of chicken stock and roast for 4-6 hours. Remove from oven, cover with foil and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Remember while it rests it finishes cooking. Serve with young peas, beans and carrots. For pudding why not an american apple and apricot cake. Heat oven to 160/140 fan /gas 3 and grease the sides and base of a 20cm loose based cake tin, Into a large bowl put 250g SR flour, 225g caster sugar, 2 large eggs. ½ teaspoon almond extract, 150g melted butter. Mix to combine and beat for 1 minute, add 225g cored and thickly sliced apples, 100g apricots cut up and 25g flaked almonds into tin, bake for 1-1½ hours. Serve with cream. Make a day in advance. Happy Easter. PALM SUNDAY It is Passover time, A busy time, people jostling, riding donkeys. Near a gate of Jerusalem A smallish, almost non-descript donkey stood tethered. None seemed to want him until two men approached. They looked and then nodded. He will do nicely. A fellow nearby shouted, What are you doing? For our Master s need to ride this donkey. Jesus patted this smallish beast, Climbed on his back To the donkey s delight. Where am I going? he thought?. To his astonishment shouts clamoured about his ears palm branches tickled his side. Who is on my back? My feet took my rider Over cobblestones to the temple He patted me on my back A job well done! Sometime later A passer-by said, Look! A cross this donkey has marked clearly on his back. I had my triumphal hour, A honour no other had. Carrying the Saviour of the world To cleanse his Father s temple. Marianne Dorman Spreading the Word March Spreading the Word March

5 Happy Easter - Greek style... Seeing the first references to Lent in the last issue of Spreading the Word, I found myself thinking back to the wonderful Easter celebrations in Cyprus where I lived for 23 years... Easter is by far the most important festival in the Greek Orthodox calendar. This year, the Orthodox Good Friday will be on Friday 29 April. Easter is the perfect time to visit Cyprus as the blue skies, warm spring sunshine and carpets of wild flowers make everything extra special. Sarokosti is the seven week Lenten fast that begins on Green Monday (this year on Monday 14 March) a special day when families and friends enjoy vegetarian picnics in the parks, countryside and at the coast. Everybody has fun flying kites and there are competitions in many of the towns and villages. Cypriots of all ages observe the Lenten fast and even those who don t follow the fast strictly, have joined in by Megalo Efthdomada (Holy Week). The Orthodox fast is strict and prohibits all meat, meat products, dairy products, fish, olive oil and wine. By Megalo Efthomada, the mood everywhere has become quiet, sombre, and reflective as people prepare themselves spiritually for Easter. Families do not have parties during Lent and marriages do not take place. There are many extra services in the churches including a special one for women on every Friday evening when each week different verses of the Heristimi (dedicated to Our Lady ) are sung. On Easter Thursday, as the Last Supper is remembered, housewives make their final preparations; dying hard boiled eggs a deep red colour using madder leaves and baking tsoureki, the traditional Easter bread. Mayiritsa is a special lamb soup that is used to break the Lenten Fast after the midnight service on Easter Saturday. Some families prefer to share a bowl of avgolemeno (egg, rice and lemon soup) together when they get home from church. A visit to the Central Meat Market in the week before Easter will reveal thousands of lambs being sold for the festive meal on Easter Sunday. On Good Friday (Megali Paraskevi) morning, the women and girls in each parish will carefully decorate the Epitaphos - the tabernacle containing the icon of Christ s entombment - which is draped in purple. There are church services throughout the day including, early in the evening, the Heritismi is sung in its entirety by the women. At about 9.00 p.m. the Epitaphos is sombrely carried around the outside of the church and through the streets by men, with the priest leading the way as he chants prayers and 12 Bible readings. His parishioners walk behind him with lit candles. Everyone gathers at their church by p.m. for the special midnight service. Visitors are welcome to join in the service whether they are Greek Orthodox or not and even if they don t speak Greek! It is a dramatic and emotional service that is well worth attending and everyone who does, should take along an Easter candle which can easily be bought in all kiosks and supermarkets. At midnight, the prayers reach a crescendo, as the church is plunged into darkness...there is silence for a few moments whilst the priest lights his candle and announces the words of the liturgy joyfully- Christos Anesti - Christ is Risen Outside the church bells begin to toll, as the congregation replies - Alithos Anesti - He is truly risen. All the candles in the church are lit in turn from the priest s candle and as the church is bathed in the golden glow of hundreds of candles, everyone greets each other with the priest s words. Once home everyone breaks the fast with a bowl of warm soup. On Easter Sunday everyone gathers for a big family barbeque of lamb to celebrate Easter and presents are exchanged and the children gather the coloured eggs and crack them against each other in a game similar to the English game of conkers. The joy of Easter continues for many days afterwards as friends, family members and work colleagues see each other for the first time after Easter and warmly embrace each other with the words- Christos Anesti, Kalo Paska - Christ is risen, Happy Easter... Chrissie Stephen, Clairac. Oscar the Cat An i m a l s are much loved by many of our readers and can be especially good companions for the old, lonely, housebound and so on. Here is the intriguing tale of a 10 year old tabby cat who has formed a special relationship with the terminally ill. Oscar is certainly a very remarkable cat. He lives in the USA in a hospice for dementia patients and the terminally ill. The strange thing about him is his uncanny ability to predict when patients are about to die. Apart from that he appears to be an ordinary cat, sleeping much of the time in the doctor's office. Adopted as a kitten by the staff he is now well established and even has a plaque on the wall commending him "For his compassionate hospice care." From time to time Oscar patrols the unit's third floor. He may encounter aged and confused patients as well as members of staff. His rounds though will take him to the beds of patients, some of which are nearing the end of their earthly lives. Oscar will leap onto the bed and, most times, just sniff the air, give the patient a look and then jump down again. But just now and then he will remain on the bed, turn around twice and quietly curl up beside the patient. Knowledgeable staff realise the significance of Oscar's actions. Relatives are telephoned and begin to gather for the final vigil over their loved one. Oscar remains, perhaps purring and nuzzling the patient. "What is the cat doing here?" says the young grandson. Mother replies gently, "He is here to help Grandma get to heaven." And so he will remain until the dying person breathes a last breath. Then his work is done and he slips out. Oddly, nurses say that he is otherwise notoriously anti-social! Oscar has had his own health problems when in 2013 he suffered a serious allergic reaction and he was taken into intensive care, where his heart stopped beating and he died for several seconds. But luckily, quickthinking vets managed to revive him and he was taken back to the nursing home where he became a patient for a few months. These days Oscar is back to full fitness and has resumed his role comforting patients. They say that he has presided over the deaths of some 100 residents. By his behaviour staff have been able to alert relatives and thus enabled them to arrive in time for the departure of a loved one. Oscar has also provided companionship to those who would otherwise have died alone. A truly remarkable cat! Oscar lives at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island. You can find him on the internet if you Google "Oscar the Cat". This information has been reported in the prestigious "New England Journal of Medicine" which is compared with the UK's "The Lancet" or the "British Medical Journal". I find it very thought provoking! John Locke, Monteton Church Did you know... Because of the difficulty in some parts of the world of procuring palms for Palm Sunday, leaves from yew, willow, olive, or other native trees are frequently used. The Sunday was often designated by the names of these trees, as Yew Sunday, or by the general term Branch Sunday. An archaic and infrequently used name for the Wednesday before Easter is Spy Wednesday, named for Judas becoming a spy for the Sanhedrin. The term Maundy is derived from the Latin word mandatum (commandment) and refers to the commandment given by Jesus at the Last Supper. The historical origins of the Good in Good Friday remain unclear, though some entomologists believe the term good is an archaic form of holy. The Christian scholar Bede ( AD, aka, the Venerable Bede) claimed in his book De Ratione Temporum that Easter was named after Eostre, a pagan goddess of the Saxon people in Northern Europe. Later scholars, however, claim that the term derives from the Anglo- Saxon word oster, meaning to rise or for their term for the Spring equinox, Eostre. Soul Survivor Shepton Mallett UK - 13th -17th August 2016 Building on the success of last year s youth trip to Soul Survivor, we hope to take another group of youngsters from the Chaplaincy to the meeting again this year. We were so grateful for all your prayers, support and donations last year which help to make the trip possible. If you would like to help again please keep an eye on the website for information on how you can support us this year. Most of the youth who went on the trip last year have shown an interest in going again as well as some new faces. We hope to take a group of around young people and 4 adults. If you have any young people from the ages of in your churches or in your community, please could you draw their attention to the trip. For more information please contact chapaq.youth@gmail.com Spreading the Word March Spreading the Word March

6 A message from Paul Vrolijk! We are moving house! From 5 February 2016 our new postal address will be: 68 Avenue des Citrinelles 1160 Auderghem Belgium (old address: 22 rue Francois Bekaert) Our telephone numbers and addresses will remain unchanged. Love and blessings, Paul News from the Fresh Expressions project in Eymet: The smell of the frying bacon has got to be one of the most enticing smells ever so the church community at Eymet decided to hold a Bacon Butty Sunday on January 10th (Fried Egg butties available for vegetarians). We welcomed and served all who were enticed through the doors by these wonderful smells. Breakfast was followed by an informal worship service with an interactive discussion on What is Church led by Rev d Deacon Charlotte Sullivan. Baptisms in the sun! On the Sunday that Bob and I were on our cruise, there was an interdenominational service held in one of the lounges. About 30 of us gathered there and, led by a Methodist, we sang two hymns a capella (thankfully ones we knew!) and the leader then read some scripture. He then told us about an event he and his wife had witnessed that day as we were docked at Barbados. They had taken a short walk from the dock along to the nearby beach and while sitting there noticed a group of people arrive dressed in white. They then saw two of them take a young man aged about 12 or 13 into the water and they realised that they were witnessing a baptism. Our two people from the ship took some photos which they passed round for us to see. After some prayers, the short service was finished but then a lady spoke up and said she would like to be baptised in the Caribbean Sea as well. She had been baptised as a baby and later confirmed but now wanted to be baptised making the decision for herself. Sitting next to her was a man who said he was a retired pastor and he could do it for her if she liked while we were at Half Moon Cay. So, 4 days later, on a beautiful Caribbean day, from a beautiful sandy beach, this lady was led into the sea by the pastor, her husband and several others (including the ship s photographer!) and she was duly baptised. It was quite emotional watching it and she was obviously thrilled. We were very fortunate to have been able to share the experience with her. I wrote the above words while Bob and I were still on the cruise and thought that my previous sentence was the end. However there is a postscript! Once off the ship at Miami, Bob and I drove down to the Keys to spend the weekend with our friends Joanne and Walter Schmida who have a house in Molieres for the summer but live the rest of the year in Key West. On Sunday morning we went to church and lo and behold, what was part of the service but a baptism! This time a lovely baby boy in a beautiful christening gown and he was baptised with the wonderful names of Charlton Leonidas George II. They do say things come in threes! Gill New Road Meetings For several years now, recently bereaved people have been meeting (in the Eymet/Bergerac area) on the last Monday of every month in one of their homes, to chat and exchange experiences and relax over tea {and cakes!) If you are interested in hearing more about the group please contact the Revd Gill Strachan on or gillstrachan@wanadoo.fr or the Revd Louise Courtney at louiseanitacourtnet@gmail.com. PATRON SAINTS Saints often become the patrons of places where they were born or had been active. However, there were cases in Medieval Europe where a city grew to prominence and then transferred to its cathedral the remains of some relics of a famous saint who had lived and was buried elsewhere. The city made him or her the city's patron saint such a practice conferring considerable prestige on the place concerned. In Latin America and the Philippines, Spanish and Portuguese explorers often named a location for the saint on whose feast or commemoration day they first visited the place, with that Saint naturally becoming the area's patron. Professions sometimes have a patron saint owing to that individual being involved somewhat with it. Lacking such a saint, an occupation would have a patron whose acts or miracles in some way recall the profession. For example, when the previously unknown profession of photography appeared in the 19th century, Saint Veronica was made its patron, owing to how her veil miraculously received the imprint of Christ s face as she wiped the blood and sweat off it. Just for fun: Some of these are real saints, some invented. Can you tell them apart? 1. St. Acapella.... Unaccompanied singers 2. Saint Andrew.. Fishermen and Fishmongers 3. Saint Ann... Miners and Homemakers 4. St. Charletan... Alchemists 5. St Cloud Nailmakers 6. St. Costalot Shoppers 7. St. Curselot Hod-carriers 8. St. Dismas Undertakers 9. St Drogo.... Coffee houses 10. St. Florian..... Chimney sweeps 11. St. Genesius.. Actors, comedians 12. St. Gumarus. Lumberjacks 13. St.Maturinus. Jesters and clowns 14. St. Notburga.. Farmers, husbandry. 15. St. Olé Bull-fighters 16. St. Phocas Gardeners 17. St. Stella..Astronomers, 18. St. Sowsear. Purse makers 19. St. Volapûk... Language inventors 20 St. Windefalle.... Lottery winners 21. St.Woebegone Mentally ill 22. St. Wolbodo.. Students 23. St. Woolless... Poor weavers 24. St. Wrack Sufferers of rheumatism Patron Saints answers The invented saints are nos 1,4,6,7,15,17,18,19,20,21,23,24. jennifergray2016 Women s Retreat Friday 1st April - Sunday 3rd April Ladies, would you welcome the opportunity to withdraw for a couple of days? How wonderful does it sound to simply step away from the noise and the pressures of our everyday lives and then set aside that precious time and spend it with God. If that appeals to you then why not join us for a short retreat - We will be based Parcoul where we will be welcomed and looked after in the home of Adrian and Suzanne Reason The theme of our retreat is The Prodigal Daughter and it will be led by Amanda Allchorn, Madeleine Holmes and Rev d Deacon Charlotte Sullivan. The retreat will include times of teaching, discussion, prayer and creative activities as well as time to rest and reflect on our personal relationship with God. The cost of the retreat is 100 per person (based on two people sharing). Places are limited so to secure a place please send a 10 deposit to Suzanne Reason, Fayette, Parcoul Perspective This arrived anonymously on my Facebook page: Let's feed the hungry, House the homeless, Stop the wars and killing And provide medicine and comfort for the sick. When we've done all that We can sit around and argue about religion. Laurie John Spreading the Word March Spreading the Word March

7 Ma Cuisine au Jardin It has been some years now that Frances Pengelly has been contributing to the Chaplaincy Magazine and her articles are always full of interest and surprise. It was back in 2007 that pen was first put to paper and many of her followers may have missed any number of little gems from the early days. But fear not, as there now exists an opportunity for us all to catch up with the publication of this delightful little booklet Ma Cuisine au Jardin. Included here are all ten of the first year s contributions If you would like a copy, and it s only 6, please contact: Frances Pengelly phone , pengellys@ wanadoo.fr or Chris Billing phone , rouffiaguet@ aim.com Around the C haplaincy: Lot et Garonne: Allez Dondas Doudrac St Médard West of Villeneuve-sur-Lot. just off the D215, north east of Agen. news and events from all our churches on D50 between Castillonès and Villeréal. (on D245 north-east of Agen) Envals CW Richard Morris ML Eve Warner-Howard PC Helen Raphael to the north of Montflanquin. Sunday 6th March 11:00 Holy Communion Doudrac Rev Liz Morris Tuesday 8th March 11:00 Holy Communion Allez Rev David Jones Sunday 20th March 10:30 Morning Worship Dondas Rev Liz Morris Friday 25th March 12:15 Prayers at the Cross Bias,Villeneuve 14:00 Prayers at the Cross Dondas Rev Barrie Green 14:00 Prayers at the Cross Doudrac Rev Liz Morris Easter Sunday 27th March 10:30 Holy Communion St Medard Rev David Jones 11:00 Holy Communion Doudrac Rev Liz Morris DOUDRAC The first of our Communion services for this year, 2016, was celebrated on Sunday, 7th February at 11:00. The service was led by the Rev d Liz Morris. Coffee was served in the Salles des Fètes after the service. A few days later, on the 10th February at 15:00, Rev d Liz Morris led the Ash Wednesday service, when we celebrated Holy communion and received the ashes. The service was well attended. Our next service of Holy Communion at Doudrac will be on 6th March at 11:00. The service will again be led by the Rev d Liz Morris. Immediately after the service we shall hold our Local Annual Meeting, followed by a Bring and Share lunch. Do you know who your Ancestors were? For just 50, all of which goes to Chaplaincy Funds, Gill will research your ancestors and then provide you with a report and a family tree. Or why not make it a special gift for a relative? For more information speak to Gill Sweetman on bobgills24@aol.com Advertising rates per edition Full page 60 Half page 40 Quarter page 20 7cm x 5cm 15 Long-term booking discounts available Camera-ready artwork should be sent to the Editor together with the appropriate amount made payable to The Chaplaincy of Aquitaine. ENVALS On Tuesday, 16th February, twenty-seven of us gathered in the home of Dave and Liz Rolfe at Envals, for the celebration of the Eucharist, which was led by Rev d Liz Morris. More fellowship was enjoyed over a meal provided by our hosts, and Birthday cake was also on the menu for everyone as it was the birthday of Alan Loach, who was duly serenaded in traditional fashion. Following the meal, Rev d Liz led the first of our Lot et Garonne Lent Bible Studies, using the York Lent Course. We next meet at Envals on 10th May at 11:30. DONDAS Our first service of Holy Communion for 2016 was on Sunday, 21 February when it was good to welcome back Revd David Jones. While some of our regulars were unable to be with us, we welcomed a new couple who, having lived near here about twenty years ago, moved down to live in Pau where they then worshipped. They recently moved back to this area so we hope that we shall see them again. On Sunday, 20 March, Palm Sunday, at am Revd Liz Morris will be taking our service of Morning Worship. Then on Good Friday, 25 March, it will be good to welcome Revd Barrie Green, who hasn t yet ventured down to Dondas, to lead our service of readings and meditations, Prayers at the Cross. Spreading the Word March Spreading the Word March

8 Chancelade and Négrondes (24) Chapelle de Saint Jean, opp. The Abbey NE of Périgueux Négrondes Church CW Chris Billing CW Liz Oaten ML Philip Pearce PC Lin Tarrant Ste. Nathalène (24) East of Sarlat, Parish Church, on D27 CW Sheila Campbell Alexandra Billing ML Alexandra Billing PC Sheila Campbell Sunday 6th Mothering Sunday Chancelade Madeleine Holmes Sunday 13th Morning Prayer Négrondes David Albrecht Sunday 20th Holy Communion Chancelade Bramwell Bearcroft Friday 25th Prayers to the Cross Negrondes Madeleine Holmes Sunday 27th HC by Extension Négrondes Sheila Marshall On the 21st of January there was an ecumenical service to celebrate Christian Unity Week, held in the Chapel of Lycée Saint Joseph in Périgueux. Patrick Sturges represented the Anglicans and our Centre in the absence of a Chaplain. All the branches of Christianity in the Périgueux area were there, Romanian Orthodox, Protestants, Catholics, 7th Day Adventists, Evangelists, Baptists and us. It was a joyful occasion and when the Lord s Prayer was said in English and sung in French everyone spontaneously held hands. We were all given pieces of bread which we dipped in salt and exchanged with the person next to us. After the service there were refreshments in the sale polyvalente where we were able to meet each other for a chat. Then there was a talk on Ecology and Christianity by the Romanian Orthodox priest. Sunday 06 March 11:00 Prayer & Praise Dave Wilton - service to be held in the salle des fêtes in Sainte Nathalène (contact Alexandra for more information: or rouffiaguet@aim.com ) Sunday 20 March 11:00 Holy Communion Rev d Gill Strachan - service to be held in the salle des fetes (followed by Local Annual Meeting) Sunday 27 March 11:00 Easter Day Service with Holy Communion Rev d Deacon Charlotte Sullivan (remember clocks forward 1 hour) Sunday 03 April 11:00 Service of the Word Anne Penfold 17th January Service in the Salle. Thank you to Gill for taking the service and Rebecca for playing. I was singing the songs all the way home! We were warm in the Salle but a little lost in such a large space, as several of our regulars were away or poorly. We are grateful to the commune who allow us to use the salle in the winter, when our heaters are insufficient to heat the church. We are now in Lent, an important time of the year in the Church leading first to the sadness of our Lord s death on Good Friday and then to the joyful day of Easter when He rose from the dead. There will be an extra Service on Good Friday, led by Madeleine Holmes in Négrondes Church, 2.30pm, when we think about what Jesus did for us by dying on the Cross. There will also be an Ecumenical Stations of the Cross with French Christians in "Les Jardins des Arènes " Périgueux in the evening. Contact Liz or Patrick for details. There will be an extra service on Sunday 6th March, Mothering Sunday, a lovely feast day, and posies will be given to the ladies. The Local Annual Meeting (LAM) will be after the Morning Prayer Service in Négrondes on Sunday 13th March. On that day the Wardens and Committee will be elected and it would be lovely to have a good turn out so you can have a say on how your Centre is run. Volunteers are needed to help, either to be on the Committee or offers to help as sidesmen, teas after services, cooks for events, help with fund raising etc. Committee members need to be on the Electoral Roll. Easter Sunday. Owing to a shortage of priests in the Chaplaincy on Easter Sunday, Sheila Marshall, a Reader and Worship Leader, has kindly offered to lead a service of Holy Communion by Extension, for which the Archdeacon has given permission. Sheila will bring the consecrated bread and wine to church in Négrondes. Revd. Bramwell Bearcroft, our locum Chaplain will be leading the Palm Sunday Service the week before in Chancelade. Library. Don't forget to browse our library at the rear of Négrondes church. Lots of Christian books are available to borrow. House Group. The House Group has been taking a break. If you would like to join a group for Christian discussion and Bible Study and/or you would be willing to hold it in your home then please would you contact Liz Oaten. Ma Cuisine au Jardin A reminder that a number of the articles included in the 2007 Chaplaincy Magazine are now available as a bound colour booklet for sale at just 6 euros a copy. An excellent casual gift for a friend.. Contact Liz Oaten or Frances Pengelly for supplies. All proceeds in support of the Chaplaincy. Unity is not easy but unity is not optional. 19th January 2016 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Christian Unity was the theme and judging by the volume of chat going on before the service a lot of unification was going on. Pere Philippe nearly had to shout Order to quieten everyone down so we could begin! As is appropriate no one was quite sure where each other came from but that didn t matter. The only time it became apparent was in the singing. With hymns in English and in French it did have an element of childhood pantomime to it, with now children can the boys sing louder than the girls or can the girls sing louder than the boys? to it. The singing honours were about even I am glad to say. In fact, as we started with a hymn in Latin and sang the Kyrie Eleison in Greek we all actually sang in four languages. Not bad unity and outreach for a rainy night in Sarlat. Andrew. We would be delighted to welcome you to our next service on the 6th March in the Salle, followed by lunch. Don t forget that the service on the 20th March is followed by our Local Annual Meeting. Please come and show your support. When we are close to Jesus, we are close to one another because we are the body of Christ. We are family, therefore, forgive, bear with and love one another with the grace of God. We are blessed to have an extra service, to our usual schedule, on Easter day 27th March, to be taken by Charlotte. What a joy to celebrate together the victory Jesus accomplished on the cross. Christ suffered the fire of God s wrath, for the sins of all mankind, so that we who put our trust in Jesus, are saved from God s wrath. Now we are free, rescued and redeemed from the curse. Halleluiah! Spreading the Word March Spreading the Word March

9 The Dronne Valley Church, at Bertric Burée (24): Parish Church, (D708 between Ribérac and Verteillac) CW Mike Duncan Tony Stephens ML Keith Gunn PC Sheila Marshall Friday 4 March 16:00 World Day of Prayer, Ecumenical Service at Ribérac Hospital Chapel Sunday 6 March Mothering Sunday 10:30 Service of the Word Trevor Hodgkiss and Cathy Wheatcroft 16:00 Evensong Sheila Marshall Wednesday 9 March 11:00 Prayer Book Holy Communion Revd Barrie Green Sunday 13 March* 10:30 Holy Communion Revd Bramwell Bearcroft Sunday 20 March Palm Sunday 10:30 Family Service Janis Adams Monday 21 March 17:00 Compline Janis Adams Tuesday 22 March 17:00 Compline Sheila Marshall Wednesday 23 March 17:00 Compline Madeleine Holmes Thursday 24 March Maundy Thursday 17:00 Holy Communion Revd Bramwell Bearcroft Friday 25 March Good Friday 14:30 Good Friday Service of Prayers at the Cross 20:00 Ecumenical Service at Tocane Sunday 27 March Easter Sunday 10:30 Easter Day Service Madeleine Holmes and Janis Adams Please join us for tea and coffee across the road in the Upper Room after each of the Sunday services Earth Hour Geoff Cogger writes: It s that time of year again, so welcome to the Earth Hour Community! Congratulations on joining thousands of other individuals just like yourself, who are committed to doing their part to tackle climate change. Since the first lights-out in Sydney in 2007, the passion and commitment of its supporters have helped make Earth Hour the world s largest grassroots movement for the environment, powering tangible change in communities around the world. We look forward to your support as we count down to Earth Hour 2016! Together let s act to change climate change. For those of you who are not sure what Earth Hour is all about click wwf.org.uk/earth-hour/ Then, having read all the information, you can click on the Count Me In button. It s a great way of feeling connected to something that is happening around the world and in showing your support towards protecting the planet. *Please join us for a Bring-and-Share lunch following this service. Bring a dish to share and your own cutlery, plate and glass. We invite a donation of 1 50 towards the cost of bread and wine which will be supplied. Compline - for those not familiar with this service - it is a brief service of quiet and reflection at the end of the day. It is particularly valued by many during this time of Easter, and at the end of the service we leave quietly, continuing the sense of reverence. The service sheet can be found here: Compline-at-BB.pdf. If you are not able to get to Bertric Burée for these services, you may wish to set aside some time to follow the service at home. Prayer Ministry Prayer ministry is offered at Bertric Burée by members of the team at the services on Sundays in the side chapel. Please take advantage of this for anything for which you would like prayer support. On the 1st and 3rd Sundays this is available after the service and on the 2nd and 4th Sundays during the serving of communion. Prayer ministry is available after each service in the Upper Room. If you have any questions about prayer ministry or any ideas or suggestions, please contact Cathy and Brian, or speak to another member of the team. Cathy and Brian Wheatcroft chezmillefleurs@aol.com Lenten Lunches Join us during Lent for soup-and-bread lunches in the Upper Room from 12:00 each Wednesday until 16th March. All welcome. The Knit and Natter Group meets Thursday 17th and Thursday 24th March - both from 14:00 to 16:00 in the Upper Room. All welcome. Contact: Jean Stocks Have you ever considered taking a trip to Israel to visit its Biblical sites? - Tony Thomas, member of the congregation at Bertric Burée, is leading a trip this autumn. This could be good opportunity to go to Israel in the company of others from the Chaplaincy. There s more information at israel Music Quiz + Supper 1st April Salle des Fêtes, Coutures Bar opens 18:15 First note of music 19:00 Tickets 12 places limited, so book early Contact David Jackson Proceeds to the Upper Room project and Water Aid The Craft Group meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month in the Upper Room at Bertric Burée, at 2pm. The Knit n Natter group are welcome to join us, as is anyone else. No need for any particular skill or craft - Just come for a chat and tea and cake More details from Cilla - cillapickett@gmail.com Spreading the Word March Spreading the Word March

10 Bordeaux (33) Chapelle de l Assomption, 370 bd Président Wilson, (opposite the British Consulate). CW Ian Couper Pamela Prior Stephen Razafindratsima ML Lindsay Megraud PC Rhian Foreau Sunday March 6th Family Communion for Mothering Sunday Revd Andrew Bullock Bordeaux Annual General Meeting Bring-and-Share Lunch immediately following the meeting Something new! ð French-Madagascan Family Communion* Revd Andrew Bullock & Stephen Razafindratsima Sunday March 13th All Age Service Revd Andrew Bullock & Stephen Razafindratsima The choir will be participating in all Holy Week Services Sunday March 20th Palm Sunday Family Communion, Revd Andrew Bullock Friday March 25th Good Friday Service of Monologues & Sunday School Dates Sunday School: March 6, 20, 27 Music, followed by a shortened Holy Communion.* * Sunday March 27th Easter Sunday Family Communion, Revd Andrew Bullock & Stephen Razafindratsima followed by an Easter Egg Hunt in the gardens of the Assomption Reminder: Clocks go forward one hour on Saturday night, March 26th! More news below under "News from Last Month" Sunday School and Youth Group For more information, feel free to contact Rhian Foreau ( ), Anne Sharp ( ), Ashley Ridley ( ) or Kit Seguin ( ) In addition to checking out the Chaplaincy website for updated and new articles on our church life, please surf to the Bordeaux Church website: Visit and "like" our facebook pages: EnglishAnglicanChurchBordeaux Wine and Words Bordeaux Join our Anglican Church Choir Bordeaux facebook group * Something new! French-Madagascan Sunday Services. We are very pleased to announce the beginning of once-amonth Sunday afternoon Anglican services in French and Madagascan, especially attuned to the Madagascan community but which everyone is very welcome to join. Please give your full support to this wonderful initiative. Our Madagascan friends have been invited to participate in the Bring-and-Share Lunch following the Local AGM. ** Good Friday Service. The Church Choir has been working very hard on a beautiful programme for Holy Week. The monologues on Good Friday are from Frank Topping s An Impossible God and are themselves a very powerful contribution to Holy Week. Do take time to make this year's Easter preparation extra special. Many have been consecrating time on your behalf. Local Church Committee Meeting Sunday, March 13th. If you have anything special which you would like the newly elected committee to discuss at this meeting, please see one of the local wardens. Your opinion is important to us! Looking ahead! Chaplaincy Annual General Meeting. Most likely Saturday, April 9th at a.m. followed by a Bring-and-Share Lunch and Service of Holy Communion. Carpooling will be available. Please see the general section of this magazine for for more information. Activities & Opportunities Pray for the Chaplaincy and the new Chaplain who has been nominated. And continue praying for the Bordeaux Church and its urban outreach. Pastoral Care do you need company or help? A beautiful hymn reads: Brother, sister, let me serve you; let me be as Christ to you; pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant too. Lindsay Mégraud is coordinating a group of people who will be happy to make phone calls or visit the elderly or sick connected in any way with the Bordeaux Church. Please contact Lindsay to join the group of carers. For those who would like a call or a visit, or know of someone in need, send an to WeCare.BordeauxAnglicanChurch@gmail.com or call Picnic Play Reading Group. The Picnic Play-Reading Group meets once a month to read a play, typically after the service on the 3rd Sunday of each month. See the article further down. We are always happy to welcome more members to this worthwhile fellowship activity which follows a bring & share picnic, this month on Sunday, March 20th. All those interested should contact Pamela Prior (pamela.i.prior@gmail.com, Tel: ). Wine and Words Group Wine and Words is a monthly discussion group that meets in Bordeaux town centre. In light of Valentine s day in February, the book Song of Songs was discussed, especially chapter 1. We talked about the different kinds of love, and how love in terms of Christian holy matrimony is lived out. We further contemplated on verse 6, how sometimes our vineyards can be neglected, and how it is important to love oneself to be able to pour out our love for others! The next Wine and Words is on March 11th and everyone is warmly welcome. Contact adebodemacaulay@hotmail.com for additional information and to join our mailing list (we also have a Facebook group: Wine and Words Bordeaux). Adults' Choir & Kids' Choir. Please join the privileged many who are busy practicing inspiring music with Director of Music, Richard Hunt, every Saturday afternoon from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Chapel. It's a very rewarding and fun time for all. STOP PRESS! The Choir has been invited to perform a concert in Bordeaux's Cathédrale St André on the afternoon of June 4th. Please note this in your diaries and better yet, be part of the choir! Stephen Razafindratsima is leading the Kids' Choir with practices for half an hour or so following the Sunday service while the adults enjoy the usual time of refreshments and fellowship. Please encourage your little ones to join in on the fun. For more information, please see Stephen at services or by stephenwardenbdx@gmail.com. Bible Reading Groups. The BYOB (Bring Your Own Bible) Bible Sunday Service on February 21st was a wonderful opportunity to delve into our church's family tree and the many interesting stories that the written word has to offer us. One bible study group is currently meeting and enjoying lively discussion in Bordeaux on a Thursday evening every week at different venues in and around Bordeaux. A second study group has 2 participants, Freda and Eric Perris, and a venue at their home in Pessac. If you would like to join either of these groups or start one in your area please contact Christine: alienor1153@yahoo. com or The Foyer Fraternel Gouffrand, a Bordeaux Church charity outreach, helps the needy all year long and it is in great need of anything that can bring some relief to those in difficulty: clothes in good condition, non-perishable food or financial donations. You may put your donations in the basket at the entrance of the chapel every Sunday. There is also a demand for helping hands on Thursdays (sorting out clothes, ironing and preparing things for their clothes sales). Freda Perris ( ) can provide further information. With grateful thanks from the Foyer. Chap-Aid & Help for the Refugees. Continue to pray for relief and a solution to the difficult situation in which so many refugees have found themselves. Heartfelt thanks to one and all for your prayers and we continue to ask for your generous donations. Please feel free to contact Nellie on contessasalvi@yahoo.co.uk or by mobile if you wish to offer goods or services - not needed in the immediate, but to be kept in mind. Spreading the Word March Spreading the Word March

11 Ecumenical Corner World Day of Prayer on Friday, March 4th at 4 p.m.at the Temple Protestant de Mérignac, avenue du Maréchal Leclerc, Mérignac. Join fellow Christian brothers and sisters to focus on the theme, chosen by a group of ecumenical women in Cuba, "Receive children. Receive me.". News from last month Busy at Sunday School! The Sunday School has been following the same programme as the adults for some time now. So in the last month we have covered such subjects as The Wedding at Cana, We are all parts of one body, Jesus said 'I am the Light of the World' and How we can reflect God's glory. Here is a record of the Parts of the same body mosaic which puts Picasso to shame. In a similar vein, we will no doubt be preparing a suitable token of appreciation for mothers in a very broad sense on Mothering Sunday, 6 March. Then we shall be putting together an Easter Garden on Palm Sunday so that the stone can be rolled away on Easter Sunday. The Easter Egg Hunt which has now become a great tradition will follow the Easter service. A rich feast of services in late January & February. We had a rich feast of services last month: beginning at Epiphany, and continuing with a visit of Gradignan's Catholic Church's Sunday School (+ family and teachers) for the Baptism of Christ. They were a little surprised to see Alexandra leading a Service of the Word - where was the priest? Bertric Burée was the reply, covering whilst Brian Davies is on sabbatical! After the service we had a Question & Answer session as they asked us about some of the differences between a Catholic and Anglican service. We had another ecumenical treat at our Service of Prayer for Christian Unity, led by our Ecumenical Officer, Christine R, and also with the choir present. Some of the Sisters at l'assomption joined us, as did the Central Bordeaux Ecumenical Group. At the Presentation of Christ (Candlemas, if you prefer), Andrew kept us on our toes with a different running order, and we enjoyed the symbolic power of the lighted candles, as he summoned us round the font to turn our backs on the Christmas/Epiphany season and turn towards Lent. Bramwell Bearcroft, from Bordeaux Priest-in-Charge to the Locum Chaplain!, cocelebrated a moving Holy Communion service with Andrew on February 7th. It was heartwarming to see him and Jennifer again and a bring-and-share lunch enabled people to catch up on what the Bearcrofts have been doing. Andrew also enjoyed burning last year's palm crosses and mixing the ash with olive oil and myrrh in advance of the Ash Wednesday service. The choir was in fine fettle and we had a sermon on fasting. As Congregational Worship Leader-in-training, Stephen Razafindratsima has either led or given the talk at a couple of services this year both of which have been well received. We've had a tentative start at opening our worship with a modern worship song to try and quieten the church before the service begins. Grateful thanks to Jennifer, Christine, Alexandra, Holi & Stephen for taking part. A Garden(ing) Party in Floirac. A third Garden(ing) Party took place at the Presbytery. Three chainsaw-wielding men and a team of other volunteers chopped down two trees that were damaging the path and patio. The logs disappeared into landrovers and trailers, hopefully to fuel log burners around the Chaplaincy! After much effort, we stopped for lunch and fellowship; then after much more effort, we called it a day. A big thank you to you all. Take a peek at the Picnic Play Reading Group. May 2016 will see the 4th anniversary of the founding of the Picnic Play- Reading Group and group leader, Pamela Prior, is pleased to say it is still going strong although members have come and gone. Here's an excerpt from the annual report of this fun Sunday afternoon activity: In September we read He Said and She Said, a play in one-act by Alice Gerstenberg, plus a series of sketches from A Fistful of Fivers. A former Baptist Minister and his wife, John & Jenny Retter, holidaying in Bordeaux, joined an extra special October gathering. On a brilliantly sunny day, we were able to eat outside for a reading of the last two Acts of The Mousetrap. The November play was The Secretary Bird in which Liz Walford, the wife planning to leave her husband, was read by Caroline while Andrew Bullock read the part of the husband who has devised a plan to stop her from so doing. In December we had the pleasure of Edwin and Barnaby Bullock s presence again and they delighted us by reading alternately the part of Mr. Paravacini. Paul Dixon was also very convincing as Sergeant Trotter, who turns out to be the murderer and Molly, the scared wife of the owner of the guest house, was brilliantly read by Caroline Ward. Why not think about staying after the service on March 20th? If you don't feel like reading, you can always enjoy listening! Limeuil (24) near le Bugue, Eglise de Sainte Catherine in Limeuil Haut Sunday 6 March Mothering Sunday Prayer & Praise Anne Penfold & Chris Scott Sunday 13 March Holy Communion Revds Gill Strachan & Charlotte Sullivan Thursday 17 March Holy Communion Revd Gill Strachan Sunday 20 March Palm Sunday Morning Worship Revd Deacon Charlotte Sullivan Maundy Thursday 24 March Holy Communion with Foot Washing Revd Gill Strachan & David Albrecht Friday 25 March Good Friday Ecumenical Stations of the Cross Revd Gill Strachan+Nella Houllier Stainer s Crucifixion Limeuil Choir & Friends Sunday 27 March Easter Sunday Holy Comunion Revd Gill Strachan Then we all adjourned to the Cottage next door, to reflect, unwind and share thoughts with friends over a splendid afternoon tea, thanks to Jill s team. CW David Albrecht Christine Scott ML Ian Strachan PC Jeff Bottger The Service of Light and Life at Candlemas On Tuesday 2 February 2016 we came together to remember before God those we have loved and who are here no longer, to give thanks for their lives and to comfort one another. In an atmosphere of calm, candle-light, poems, readings and music, Reverend Gill Strachan and Revd Louise Courtney led a very moving service for the thirty or so able to travel; all names recorded in the Book of Remembrance were read out during the service. Surely a service of reflection, shared quietness and tranquillity, a real drawing together for all. I had no idea it would affect me so emotionally, said one friend, speaking on behalf of many. The solemnity of Ash Wednesday Our Lenten season of prayer and penance began with the Eucharist on the evening of Ash Wednesday. Ash had been created by burning last year s palm crosses and it was used to mark each forehead with the sign of the cross. Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn from sin and be faithful to Christ. - solemn words we carry with us on our journey through Lent, a journey towards the cross. Limeuil Fellowship Group Last year it was the King s Speech for a challenging study, and this year Charlotte and Gill have focused on the Lloyd- Webber-Tim Rice production of Jesus Christ Superstar for our Pre-Lent Study. Discussion revolved around key roles and relationships, especially the characters of Peter, Judas and Jesus Christ Jesus the Son of God, the Messiah, and as King of the Jews, a threat to Caiaphas, a worry to Pilate and an irritation to Herod. An interesting focus on Judas gave rise to much debate. How sympathetic a character did he become as we looked at the situation through his eyes? The jury s still out on this one! So far a most enjoyable and thought-provoking study. Stainer s Crucifixion We are delighted to say that the choir, together with friends from the Lot & Garonne area, are practising hard for their performance of Stainer s Crucifixion on Good Friday. We do hope many of you will be able to come and listen to this very moving work as it is a wonderful way to make it part of your Easter preparations. Easter Day lunch A lunch is being organised at La Nauze, Fongauffier, near Belves for Easter Day. More details to follow but you can already book your place with Ian Strachan Spreading the Word March Spreading the Word March

12 Holy Week and Easter at Limeuil 2016 As elsewhere across the Chaplaincy, preparations for Holy Week are well-advanced and we look forward to seeing many seasonal visitors as well as all our regular worshippers. Sunday 20 March Palm Sunday with Procession and Dramatised reading Thursday 24 March Maundy Thursday Service with foot washing, followed by A Seder- Passover - Meal, Chez Chris Scott, Berbiguieres. Friday 25 March Ecumenical Stations of the Cross Stainer s Crucifixion sung by the Limeuil choir and friends Sunday 27 March Holy Communion Service for Easter Day Whilst parking places are limited at all levels, there will be a church car shuttle service in operation on Easter Sunday. Condom/Nerac (32) Chapel Notre Dame de Piétat, 54 Av. Aquitaine, Condom (47), Place Saint-Marc, Nerac TL Richard Smith smith.r@orange.fr ML Neil Wright PC Liz Evans Sunday 13 March 11:00 Prayer & Praise Revds D & A Marshall Thursday 24 March 11:00 Holy Communion (chez the Roberts, Le Mouret, Condom) Revds D & A Marshall Sunday 27 March 11:00 Holy Communion Revds D & A Marshall Thurs 31 March 11:00 Morning Worship Michael Torne David and Angela accepted an invitation to participate in an ecumenical Carol Service in Vic Fezensac last December. As a result of contacts made there, we received an invitation to attend a service in Auch for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. We were given a very warm welcome and a number of people spoke to us including the Archbishop Mgr Gardès. One of the challenges in this, the southernmost sector of the Chaplaincy, is how far we go geographically as there seems to be a real desire to connect with Anglicans living in the Gers. Monteton (47) east of Duras, (notre Dame Parish Church) WE Paddy Atkinson CW ML Vanda Walton PC Helen Raphael Sunday 13th March Morning Prayer Michael Torne Palm Sunday 20th March Prayer and Praise David Albrecht Maundy Thursday 24th March Holy Communion Revd Liz Morris Good Friday 25th March Prayers at the Cross Roger Verrall Easter Day 27th March Holy Communion Revd Bramwell Bearcroft Our service of Holy Communion for Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent, was led by Revd Liz Morris and included the solemn ritual of the laying of the ashes on the forehead of each member of the congregation. As always, it was a service of particular reflection and thought, emphasized by Liz in her address when she spoke of the real sacrifices we should be making during Lent. We shouldn t simply be depriving ourselves of wine or chocolate or other such material indulgencies, but should be ridding ourselves of negative thoughts or actions and endeavouring to emphasise the good and the positive in all that we think or do, particularly in our dealings with others. This theme continued in the address given by Michael Torne at the service of Morning Prayer on Sunday 14th February, the first Sunday of Lent, where he urged us in this age of business and high-tec speak, to consider our own PR and how we manifest ourselves to others by means of our words and our actions. We were pleased to welcome Michael and his wife Sue to Monteton for the first time and look forward very much to their next visit on 13th March. Future Events Following a quiet start to the year when many of our congregation were away visiting family and friends, the monthly Coffee and Cakes mornings begin again. The first one will be on Saturday 12 March from , kindly hosted as ever by Norma and Leslie Eckett in their home at Auriac-sur-Dropt. This is a drop-in event, intended as an opportunity to chat with old friends - and make new ones - in the Eckett s delightful chai with a warm drink and delicious cakes. Entry is 5 euros, with the proceeds from the events donated to Chaplaincy supported charities. Please contact Norma on if you plan to attend. Our Lent Group made a good start with a pre-group meeting led by Albert Yorke, with opportunity to pray for one another. For our Lent course we are studying the Lord s Prayer under a course entitled Praying the Our Father Today. We meet in different homes and the sessions are introduced and led by Michael Torne who wrires: The Lord s Prayer, that universal prayer of Christians, is something we all know so well. We know it so well that when we say it is often just a wonderful calming rhythm of words lifting us to God. Jesus prayer may on the surface be relational and looking to our needs but it is also a crazy, risky prayer that puts us on the line. Our Lent group will explore its depths and in doing so explore our own depths and recommit us to the message that Jesus brings us. Two sessions have already taken place with further ones planned for March 3rd, 10th and 17th. Please contact Michael Torne for further details. The morning meetings end with a soup and pud lunch together. The final meeting will be on Maundy Thursday and will be a celebration of the Lord s Supper at the home of Mary and Ian Roberts, Le Mouret, Condom. Sunday Services resumed in February with Praise & Prayer followed by Bring and Share Lunch. This more contemporary style of worship is appreciated and we hope to see it grow especially when the warmer weather returns! Meanwhile, Thursday Communion services continue and are served by visiting clergy and we are grateful for the time they give us. On Tuesday 29th March at 6.00pm and by popular request, Monteton church will be hosting the Allez Players in their thought-provoking production of excerpts of the Passion play, An Impossible God, by Frank Topping. The performance is by kind permission of the author and there will be a retiring collection and refreshments afterwards. f nobody smiled and nobody cheered, I And nobody helped us along, If each every minute looked after himself And good things all went to the strong; If nobody cared just a little for you And nobody thought about me, And each stood alone in the battle of life, What a dreary old world it would be. Spreading the Word March Spreading the Word March