Looking back, looking forward
We’re doing a lot of looking back over the next few weeks – looking back to the start of the Great War, the war to end all wars that so sadly wasn’t. Looking back on the effect it had on lives – still, after 100 years, trying to get to grips with the appalling tragedies that grew out of its destruction. I’d never heard of Cityread London until I was given a free copy of My Dear, I wanted to tell you at my local library. It’s a story about the experiences of soldiers in the battles and the women who wait for them at home. And there’s a sequel, The Heroes’ Welcome, about those same people trying to come to terms with life after the war when the ‘heroes’ welcome’ very quickly wasn’t a welcome at all but embarrassment at their injuries and inability to cope with life. 1
Parish magazines continued through these war years – during the second world war they stopped and didn’t pick up again until 1950. They record the endeavours of the knitting group, making socks and balaclavas, the sending of acid drops to the military hospitals – good for dry mouths apparently – and list, month by month, the serving, the wounded and the dead.
Of the series of WW1 related events we’re putting on in church there are several still to come: Was Britain Right to fight in 1914? A lecture by The Revd Canon Nigel Biggar on 15th July in the Crypt Room, and the Hampstead Players’ Anthology The Lamps are going out, on 1st August which also looks at the effects of the war and its aftermath. John Willmer explains in more detail on page…..
On Sunday 3rd August there will be a special Service of Commemoration when the Deanery will come together in our church at 6pm. (And by the way, congratulations, if that’s the right word, to the Vicar, on his appointment as Area Dean!)
Perhaps slightly different but still very much part of the whole commemoration is the Schools’ event on Friday 4th July when schools participating in A Community@war – the project launched in church in April – will bring together the work they have been doing. And do visit the War Graves in the ABG and see the poppies planted there. Thousands of poppies have been planted across the country as a reminder. I hope they’ve all turned out as successfully as ours – it was touch and go for a while. Hopefully they will continue to grow for years to come.
We look back, too, over 40 or so years of Church Row Nursery occupancy in the parish rooms – they have decided it’s time to close. No more window-boxes or nativity plays – Christmas won’t be Christmas without the ‘Whoops-a-daisy angel’! We wish the staff well in whatever they move on to.
Liz Brown is moving on too, ending her time with us at the end of August as she prepares to move on to ordination training. There’ll be time to say goodbye to her next term when she comes back for a proper farewell after the school term begins. Liz has been our very first youth worker and she’ll be a hard act to follow!
This month we’re looking forward to the Hampstead Players’ production of All’s Well that ends Well – see page….. We’re looking forward to two lunchtime concerts, both piano recitals, on 2nd July and 6th August and two literary hours, on 16th July and 20th August – A brief History of the Tudors on 16th July is taken from The Fire and Rose, compiled by Hilary Clare, and Children Green and Golden on 20th August comprises extracts from the Hampstead Players’ performance of that name put on in The Year of the Child (1979).
The Living Book continues to meet on the first Sunday of each month and the Tea Service on the third – details of both further on in this issue and the Traidcraft stall and Food bank collections will be held as usual. Please don’t forget the foodbank because you’re going on holiday – people are just as hungry in August as at any other time.
Plenty to do for those of us staying at home; if you’re going on holiday travel safely…… Send us a postcard – I’ve often thought it would be fun to display postcards from the congregation over the summer and see where everyone is. Facebook’s a great way of letting everyone know where you and what you’re doing but you can’t put it on a board!
July and August
Judy East