Poet's Corner
On A Friend's Escape From Drowning Off The Norfolk Coast
Came up that cold sea at Cromer like a running grave
Beside him as he struck
Wildly towards the shore, but the blackcapped wave
Crossed him and swung him back,
And he saw his son digging in the castled dirt that could save.
Then the farewell rock
Rose a last time to his eyes. As he cried out
A pawing gag of the sea
Smothered his cry and he sank in his own shout
Like a dying airman. Then she
Deep near her son asleep on the hourglass sand
Was awakened by whom
Save the Fate who knew that this was the wrong time:
And opened her eyes
On the death of her son's begetter. Up she flies
Into the hydra-headed
Grave as he closes his life upon her who for
Life has so richly bedded him.
But she drove through his drowning like Orpheus and tore
Back by his hair
Her escaping bridegroom. And on the sand their son
Stood laughing where
He was almost an orphan. Then the three lay down
On that cold sand
Each holding the other by a living hand.
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George Barker
1913-1991
His highly dramatic poems were often concerned with themes of remorse and pain.
Eliot wrote of his 'genius'. Yeats thought him the most interesting poet of his generation. Dylan Thomas envied his power over women. He fathered fifteen children in several countries, three during one battle-torn summer. Barker was Catholic and bohemian, frank and elusive, tender and boisterous. In Eliot's phrase, he was 'a very peculiar fellow.'
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From the Rector
Dear Friends,
‘Creation’ is somewhat of a loaded term these days thanks to famous atheist writers such as Richard Dawkins. They often paint the idea that Christians believe that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, precisely and literally as it is written in the first chapter of the book of Genesis in the Bible, a view of creation which is called Creationism. Actually, the reverse is true – Creationism is a minority and unorthodox view amongst Christians. The point of the various creation stories in the Bible (there are at least three different ones) is not to give a scientific account of how the universe came to be but rather to explore the relationship between God and humankind. In Church, we use the term ‘Creation’ to refer to everything that exists because, fundamentally, Christians believe that everything we have, including our very life and being, is a gift from God – it is not about the mechanics, but the relationship. Remembering that everything we have is a gift helps us to appreciate even more everything we do have and be even more thankful for it. It also makes us better realise our responsibility to look after the gift of Creation, which does not belong to us but is a gift we hold for a little while before we pass it on to others to care for.
The Bible shows us is that God wants to share the gift of life, the gifts of Creation, with us; God wants us to understand that gift and to care for it; God wants a relationship with us and for us to have a proper relationship with God and all that is around us.
What the Christian faith teaches us is that it is not Creation vs Big Bang in a pseudo-Science vs. Religion debate, nor Creation vs humanity, as if the world around us needs to be tamed, subdued, controlled and exploited, but Creation and relationship. It is about our relationship with God, our relationship with each other, our relationship with the wider world and environment around us.
This September we will be celebrating our Harvest Festival in Worlingworth on 12th at 6pm, and at Tannington 2.30pm and on September 26th at 6pm in Wilby. In October we will celebrate harvest 3rd Oct 10.30 in Bedfield, 6pm in Brundish and on 10th 6pm in Cratfield, we will be thinking about Creation as a gift and our role and our place within it come and find out more.
David Burrell
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Church Services
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Brundish Church News
Harvest Festival Service - Sunday, 3rd October for 6p.m. at St Lawrence’s Church.
Our Harvest Festival will take place on the above date. It is hoped that the Chantry Singers will be able to sing a seasonal anthem and that we will all be able to safely congregate and sing at what is still a relevant celebration in our agricultural community. Please note the earlier start time than has been customary.
Brundish Christmas Fair - 2.30 p.m. Saturday, 27th November at Brundish Village Hall.
In the hope that all will be well for our community to meet up safely with any precautions, if necessary, we will be arranging a Christmas Fair this year as above. Please add the date to your diary and further details as to how you might get involved, donate, operate a stall, etcetera will be given in the October printed Newsletter. However, if you are new to the village and want to know more in the meantime, please phone either Sandra Apps on 01728 628607 or David Mulrenan on 01728 628063 or 07881 481745.
Thanks very much.
David Mulrenan
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Wilby Church News
Services – it is fantastic to be back in Church for our worship on Sundays, complete with singing!! Services are held regularly most Sundays at 10:30 (except when there is a benefice service on the 5th Sunday in the month). We are delighted that this special group service for the 8 parishes of the Four Rivers benefice will be held at Wilby Church on 31st October at 10:30.
Harvest Festival – after not having a harvest festival last year it will be wonderful to be singing ‘We plough the fields and scatter’ with extra gusto!! We are delighted to welcome Rev’d Chrissie Smart to lead this our celebration of harvest.
Wilby Ride and Stride
The annual Ride and Stride for the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust is on Saturday September 11th from 9am to 5 pm. There are sponsor forms in the church or ask Mary Pipe 01728 723443. If you would like to sit in the church to sign in the cyclists please let Mary know.
Sheila Pipe
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The Plight of the Hedgehog
Popping out a few nights ago I almost trod on this little chap who, seeing me coming froze to the spot. It stayed there long enough for me to get this quick photo before vanishing without trace.
Sadly I've noticed four of these endearing little creatures, whose numbers have declined by a shocking 50% in the last 20 years, run over on the road not far from us in the last few days - I wish drivers would make more effort to avoid them, they're usually pretty easy to spot and that habit of stopping in face of a threat isn't any defence against a car.
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Content from Dr Dan Poulter MP
31 August 2021
Summer is my favourite season because it means that I can spend more time at home in Suffolk. But this year, my summer was interrupted by the sudden recall of Parliament caused by the Taliban regaining control of Afghanistan.
Many of us will remember where we were on September 11th, 2001 when the twin towers in New York were destroyed by Al-Quaeda terrorists. I also recall the day in 2005 when London was bombed by members of the same Islamic terrorist group.
At that time, Afghanistan was used by Al-Qaeda as a base from which to conduct world terror against western nations, such as the USA and the United Kingdom. Whatever history’s verdict may be on the wisdom, conduct or shambolic conclusion of the 20-year war on Afghanistan, I remain in no doubt that it was right for Britain to intervene in the fight against Al-Qaeda and global terrorism. We were right to put British boots on the ground in Afghanistan and play our part in defeating the threat of Islamic terrorism.
The lightning speed of the Taliban advance probably had two causes. The first is the failure of the west to win the hearts and minds of the rural communities of Afghanistan. The second is that once former President Trump had done his deal with the Taliban to withdraw US troops, the Taliban used the next 17 months for secret negotiations with many provinces to surrender without contest.
We should also reflect that even though the Taliban has reclaimed control over Afghanistan (for the time being at least), this doesn’t mean that the safety of the world is under the same threat of terrorism now as we were some 20 or so years ago because thanks to the efforts of British armed forces, Al-Qaeda is no longer the threat it once was to the safety of innocent civilians in the United Kingdom.
Our priority now must be to recognise our moral duty to protect and offer refuge to Afghan citizens who may now be at risk, particularly those who have supported our soldiers in the fight against Al-Qaeda. The Government has rightly announced a new resettlement scheme for Afghan refugees. As part of this scheme, it will rightly be asking our councils in Suffolk to do their part, and already, a small number of Afghan interpreters and their families have been helped to resettle in Suffolk.
As we close this chapter in the history of Afghanistan, I am mindful that a number of Suffolk families have lost the lives of loved ones who served on the frontline of the conflict. We all owe those who sacrificed their lives a debt of gratitude for what they have done to make our country a safer place, and in protecting us against the threat of Islamic terrorism. Their sacrifice has not been in vain.
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