The Messenger for June and July 2018

The Messenger

The Magazine

of

The United Reformed Church in the Channel Islands

JUNE/JULY 2018

From Michael Ruskin, Secretary Jersey URC

June 2018

Dear Friends,

Like many of you, I am sure, I spent much of last Saturday glued to the television watching the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and we wish them many happy and successful years together.   By co-incidence I had spent an afternoon the previous week at a meeting for island Church Leaders to be instructed in the practicalities of the new Jersey Marriage Laws which are expected to come into force on 1st July.   These were made necessary to accommodate same-sex ‘marriage’ and the growing desire to get married, not in a Church, but at local beauty spots etc.   And of course once lawyers get involved even something apparently simple can get very complex.

In Guernsey the States has been grappling with the question of ‘assisted dying’, rejected but symptomatic as how questions of life and death now seem to be the province of the courts rather than the church.

You will recall that it was a lawyer, acting on instruction to trick Jesus, who asked him “Which is the greatest commandment?” to which Jesus replied “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might” to which He added “The second is love your neighbour as you love yourself” (Matthew 22 vv 36-39).

Page 1

We often hear reference to the second not so much these days to the first and indeed it seems to me that far from loving and serving God the majority want to ignore Him or even dismiss Him as irrelevant.   And we wonder why the world seems in a mess!

Let us do all we can to convince those around us that our God is there to be loved and not reviled.

With greetings and good wishes for an enjoyable summer.

Michael                         

READINGS FOR JUNE

 Page 2

AND JULY

NEWS FROM GUERNSEY

Birthday Greetings for JUNE go to Winnie Keyho on 4th, Nikki Knight on 15^th and

Sarah Bough on 18^th while Mike and Jeanne Gathercole celebrate their Wedding Anniversary on 30^th.   In JULY we send greetings to Rose Le Sauvage on 2nd, Audrey Tauliczek on 9th, Stephen Le Tissier on 10th. and Laurie Knight on 12^th. with best wishes to Andrew and Sarah Bough who celebrate their wedding Anniversary on 1^st.

Wedding Celebrations:

We were very pleased to celebrate the wedding of Lilly Knight to Ben Le Marchant on 31st March.  The bride was beautiful and the ceremony was joyous and happy.  Rev. David Knight presided over the service, with speeches and a lovely meal at the Farmhouse.  We wish the happy couple all the love and peace for their future together. 

                             Page 3                     Sarah

Caring:

Continued prayers for Irene Domaille, Vi Duquemin, Ruth Rich, Joyce Anderson, Delma and David Le Tissier.  Enid Batiste is waiting to go to Southampton for an eye op.  Frank Keyho has been to Southampton and is to return for an op. for his eyes.  Janet Duquemin is also waiting to go to Southampton re. a heart operation.  It is good to see Phyllis Corbet is recovering from her eye op. too.  

If I have missed anyone out please accept my apologies, also anyone with aches and pains join the club.  We pray for you all.                                   

                                                                                   Marion.

Thank you:

My sister Ruth (Rich) and I would like to say thank you to all of you who wrote to us, rang, sent cards and flowers on the death of our sister Audrey who died in April, 2 days before her 90th Birthday.  She had been in extreme pain for many years; all we can say is Thank God,  She is now at peace.  Thank you so much for all your caring.                                                      Marion

GUERNSEY’S ROTAS FOR JUNE

Thursday Coffee

Page 4

GUERNSEY’S DIARY FOR JUNE

Communion Duty Elder: Sue (with Frank)

Page 5

GUERNSEY’S DIARY FOR JULY

Communion Duty Elder: Sarah (with Jeanne)

Page 6

GUERNSEY’S ROTAS FOR JULY

****************************************************

NEWS FROM JERSEY

Birthday Greetings for JUNE go to: Rosemary Davies (1^st), Nathan Healey (4^th), Rowena Le Brocq and Helen Frost (6^th) and Samuel Healey (21) on 20^th while Margaret and Ron Welling celebrate their 56th Wedding Anniversary on 23^rd. In JULY greetings go to Catherine Baudains (1^st), Sineadh Wheeler (3^rd), Holly Sheldrake (8^th), Michael Sheldrake (11^th), Nerissa Tarrant (15 on13^th), Ashleigh Hardman (18^th), Amelia Nicolle (13 on 28^th) Margaret Pirouet and Jean Robinson (30^th) and Irene Patterson (31^st).

Lucy and Mark Stephenson celebrates their Wedding Anniversary on 14th^, Laura and Jim Westwater (17^th), Edith and Michael Le Cornu (30th).

FAMILY NEWS

It was good to see Phil Osborn in Church recently and to learn that he and Shirley are making good progress.   Jean Robinson has had some setbacks but is with us again although Joan Le Boutillier has had another fall.  Richard and Sheila Charles continue in our prayers.

Page 7

JERSEY’S DIARY FOR JUNE

JERSEY’S DIARY FOR JULY

                                         Page 8

JERSEY’S ROTAS FOR JUNE

Last time we were delighted to announce the birth of Isabelle McManus and here she is with proud Dad and Grandparents on her first visit to Church.

Congratulations to our very near neighbour Trevor Pointon on his election to Deputy for St. John and commiserations to Sarah Westwater who was unsuccessful in St. Lawrence.

Behind the names on our War Memorial Part 3

Clarence Charles Bisson

Clarence was born in Jersey in 1890 the youngest son of Francis and Elizabeth. Before the war the family lived in town and when the war broke out Clarence was living with his wife Rose in Great Union Road. They had a young son Clarence who was born in 1913. He enlisted in November 1915 and joined the 12^th East Surrey regiment. His enlistment papers record him as a labourer and aged 25 years old. Initially he was sent to

Page 9

 Guildford for initial training and then on to France. In 1916, his regiment was sent to the Somme in preparation of the great battle that was to begin on July 1^st. He appears not to have taken part in the early part of the battle but was held in reserve until September 15^th. This date marked the beginning of the third phase of the war and is known as the battle of Flers- Courcelette. It was on this day that Clarence was killed in action at the age of 26 leaving behind a young widow and a 2 year old son. His military records confirm that Rose received a war pension     18s 9d and was sent family photographs and his identity disc that were found on his body. The records also contain a poignant letter from Rose to the army thanking them for their kindness. Clarence is buried at the Guards Cemetery Lesboeufs on the Somme.

Mike Sheldrake

CENTRAL AMERICA - For the Common Good

Working with local community groups and church groups on advocacy and action is Christian Aid’s partner UNES.  The groups meet in a hall given to the community by an Italian priest who helped them understand that the church must work on behalf of the poor. Named after him, it continues to be a place where people can meet and serve others.  His desire was to defend the poor and that is what they continue to do.

Together with UNES they are exploring the meaning of advocacy and action.  Marches, fairs, simulation games and visits to areas of most concern have all been arranged to highlight environmental problems such as dumping and erosion. Participants have been encouraged to write letters to the Government and file complaints to the Mayor. However, despite all this action, they often do not make progress. They share ideas on how to help the community, especially as it is situated in an area vulnerable to earthquakes and flooding, made worse by overcrowding and deforestation.

Page 10

Guernsey

Chaplain to the Bailiwick

Reverend David Knight

Glencoe,

La Passee,

St Sampsons,

Guernsey,

GY2 4TJ

(01481) 255440

Dave.knight@gov.gg

Church Secretaries

Guernsey: Mrs Sarah Bough

Ch'lisier

Grande Rue

St Saviours

Guernsey

GY7 9PP

Tel:  (01481) 267127

ansafaff@yahoo.co.uk

Jersey: Michael Ruskin

Ocean View,

 Route de L’Etacq,

St. Ouen,

Jersey

 JE3 2FB

(01534) 482366

ruskin.oceanview@gmail.com

Magazine Editor

Michael Ruskin

As above

ruskin.oceanview@gmail.com

Website: www.urc.org.je