Statement by the Archbishop of Canterbury – Pray for the peace of Jerusalem

Statement by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Justin Welby:

‘Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee’ (Psalm 122)

Our grief and shock only grows greater as more devastating news and images emerge from the abhorrent terrorist attacks in Israel. The agonising suffering endured by those who were targeted and their families can scarcely be imagined. Our hearts are broken open by the grief of Israelis and our Jewish brothers and sisters around the world, for whom this trauma and loss stands in the dark and terrible shadow of the worst days of their history.

I beg that those who have been taken hostage are set free into safety, that they and their loved ones might be released from the horror of their captivity. The anger felt by the people of Israel at the cruelty they have experienced is entirely justified. Many around the world share in that anger.

But in the face of a ground offensive in Gaza, I plead that the sins of Hamas are not borne by the citizens of Gaza, who themselves have faced such suffering over many decades. The price of evil cannot be paid by the innocent. Civilians cannot bear the costs of terrorists. International humanitarian law recognises that, for the sake of everyone’s humanity, some acts can never be permissible in the chaos of warfare. I pray that Israel does everything it can to limit the harm caused to innocent civilians.

Over two million civilians in Gaza, half of them children, are facing a catastrophe. A humanitarian corridor and convoy are needed as rapidly as possible, as set out in the Geneva Conventions. I pray particularly for the Anglican-run Ahli Arab Hospital and all those caring for the injured, who need medical supplies and generator fuel.

I join with the US Secretary of State and others in urging the Israeli government to exercise their right of defence with the wisdom that might break the cycles of violence under which generations have struggled. Amidst the chaos and confusion of war, and as much as is possible, I join the calls for Israel’s military response to be proportional and to discriminate between civilians and Hamas.

Pray for the people of Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. Pray for the future of the Holy Land. Pray for those who will weep, and fear, and die tonight.

Lord God, we pray, by your great mercy, defend your children from all perils and dangers of this night.

If you are able, please support the JMECA appeal for the Ahli Arab Hospital to continue providing life-saving medical care: www.jmeca.org.uk/get-involved/donate/current-appeals-0/al-ahli-hospital-gaza-appeal

Post expires at 7:05am on Saturday October 19th, 2024

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Notes for Sunday 15 October 2023

Dear friends,
We all look on with dread at the horror that is playing out in Israel and how it spills over into the world. Rev Liz has asked for the following prayer to be included in the weekly email:

A Prayer for the Holy Land

By Rev. Rhona Knight

Loving God

Praying for the Holy Land and its people,
praying for your deep peace,
praying that swords are turned to ploughshares,
we ask that your kingdom will come on earth as in heaven.
May those in power seek your heart.
May those suffering know your presence.
May those mourning be comforted.
May we, who watch at a distance, be open to seeing with your eyes of compassion and understanding and know how to pray and respond justly, mercifully and humbly.
In the name of Jesus we pray.

Amen.

God bless,

Dineke van den Bogerd

Post expires at 10:13am on Monday October 14th, 2024

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Notes for 8 October 2023

Dear friends,

We’ve just returned from a lovely break in Norfolk. We had planned a trip to Sicily but when that couldn’t happen we changed plans and had a lovely time. The picture is of one of numerous boot scrapers we noticed outside older houses in Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds and even built in walls of churches. We had never seen these before and had to take some pictures.

This week I will be ordering organic and fair trade Christmas goodies for the LOAF stall next Sunday after the parish communion service. Also on sale (on behalf of Stuart Cole) will be Traidcraft Christmas cards. Please come and have a look whilst you enjoy an after service coffee.

Only a few more days left of balmy weather before autumn sets in: do make the most of it!

God Bless,

Dineke van den Bogerd

Post expires at 1:42pm on Monday October 7th, 2024

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October 2023 Garden Tips

Garden Notes for October 2023.

October is the month to start clearing away summer growth and preparing for the next growing season. This will generate a lot of material. By far the best use is to compost it.
Composting is very important, no matter how large or small your garden is. Shredding woody material and large items like cabbage stalks is important.

Dahlias are the most likely to show when there has been an early morning frost. The leaves will turn black and all growth will stop. When this happens, cut the top growth down. Standard advice is to lift the tubers and let them dry out thoroughly before storing in a frost-free place through the winter. I find that the tubers get so large that they take up a lot of space, so I experimented last year and left them in the ground covered by a thick insulating layer of straw. I had much greater success this way than I ever did trying to store them in the conventional way.

Carnations and pinks should be planted in prepared beds. Clear leaves and rubbish around stems. In mild spells firm the soil around plants if they have been lifted by frost.

Before it gets too cold, give the greenhouse a thorough clean and clear out. Remove tomatoes. Night temperatures are dropping considerably now with the result that the skin on the fruit gets pretty tough. Other plants in the green house can be given temporary B&B elsewhere and then the glass should be washed down to remove as many of the ‘nasties’ as possible.

Plant out wallflowers, polyanthus, sweet williams, foxgloves and other similar biennials for a good display in the spring. Spring cabbage should be planted out while the ground is still workable, keep up a succession of winter lettuce like ‘Winter Density’. Cut remaining marrows, squashes and pumpkins. Put them away in a dry, frost-proof place. Clear away all the pea and bean haulm, then dig over the vacated ground.

Once the ground has been cleared it is a good idea to break it up. If you have heavy clay (as most of us do round here) the best way is to use a spade and to leave it with large clods that will break down over the winter with weathering. If you break the soil down too much at this time of year, it will just become a ‘pudding’ and you will have to start all over again in the spring.

If you want early sweet peas, now is the time to start them off. For best result sow one or two seeds in rooting pots as sweet peas have an exceptionally long tap-root. Germinate the seeds in the greenhouse with gentle, consistent warmth. Once they have emerged sweet peas can be kept outside in a cold frame, only needing protection from the worst frosts by having a cover over them

All are welcome to come to the Annual General Meeting of the Horticultural Society which will be held in the Capel Parish Hall on Thursday 9th November starting at 8pm.

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Notes for 1 October 2023

Dear friends,

This email comes to you from sunny Cambridge rather than from Italy, where we would have been if the car hadn’t played up.

Norfolk proved to be a great holiday destination with one of the highlights the theatre show with the Rev Richard Coles last Wednesday in the Theatre Royal of Bury St Edmunds. We had an informative and entertaining tour in the theatre in the morning as well, as the picture testifies.

We are missing the wonderful Harvest Festivals and we hope you enjoy tomorrow in Capel.

God bless,

Dineke

Post expires at 9:50am on Monday September 30th, 2024

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October 2023 Issue 77

Celebrating Creationtide and the season of harvest in the October issue.

Christian Aid Harvest prayer

The earth is fruitful
may we be generous.
The earth is fragile
may we be gentle.
The earth is fractured
may we be just.
Creating God,
harvest in us joy and generosity
as we together share in thanks
and giving.

Post expires at 9:43pm on Saturday September 28th, 2024

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Notes for 24 September 2023

Dear friends,

This is a first of several: posting to the PCC website only and doing so from a laptop away from my desk. Let’s hope it all goes well!

This Sunday is the first of our two Harvest Festivals. Our Harvest collection moneys will go to a very good cause (see notes) and food donations are for the local foodbank. Please consult the attached DAF flier for goods most required.

The picture is of a tiny froglet (15mm or half an inch) finding a hiding place to overwinter. It will rest and grow to emerge in early spring to ensure the next generation of this beautiful native species.

God bless,

Dineke van den Bogerd

Post expires at 7:53am on Monday September 23rd, 2024

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Autumn colours and textures

Revd Liz Richardson

This month begins with final week of our season of Creationtide. Five weeks where we have explored our role as human beings in the story of creation, our relationship to the earth, and the earth’s relationship with the Creator God. It has been a fascinating time of discovery and one which as a parish we hope to continue as well as aiming to cut our carbon footprint in our church buildings and churchyards. We shall be celebrating and giving thanks for God’s creation at our Harvest Festivals, and Capel’s Harvest Festival is the very first day of this lovely month of October.
We will be welcoming your donations of food that is suitable to take to Dorking Foodbank for their distribution as well as LeatherHEAD START who provide emergency housing for homeless people in the local area.

As well as donations of foodstuff we will be collecting monetary donations and offering our Harvest collections from both churches (St Margaret’s Ockley and St John’s Capel) to the charity ShelterBox. This charity based in Cornwall exists to ensure no one is without shelter after disaster. Providing tents, shelter kits, and other essential equipment ShelterBox works to support thousands of people affected by disasters all over the world. Currently their teams in Morocco have been visiting villages in the mountains where homes have collapsed leaving people with very little in the way of shelter and belongings. As winter approaches they are looking to support people affected by the earthquake with tents, blankets, solar lights and kitchen sets. ShelterBox is also responding to the humanitarian needs in Libya in partnership with ACTED another humanitarian organisation who are already working in Derna before Storm Daniel and have a good presence there. Do support these or any other humanitarian support agencies as they try to support those affected by these devastating so called natural disasters. If you would like to add to our ShelterBox donation this Harvest, please come to one of our Harvest festival Services or pop it through my Vicarage door in an envelope marked Harvest Donation.

On a lighter note (really?!) we have the opportunity to become amateur sleuths as another Murder Mystery play and supper is performed. Two performances, two villages, two suppers! Hurry and book your tickets for either Friday 13th October for Ockley or Saturday 14th for Capel. Should be great fun!!

Finally, at the end of the month we will be holding our annual service of comfort for those who are bereaved. Lists for names of loved ones will be put inside churches towards the middle of this month. This peaceful service will be followed by teas as usual.

In the meantime enjoy the colours and textures of Autumn, do visit your lovely parish churches and enjoy our harvest flowers, a fitting tribute to the glorious creation that God has given us.

With my love and prayers

Liz

Post expires at 6:33pm on Thursday September 19th, 2024

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Notes for Sunday 17 September 2023

Dear friends,

The last days of summer are here and what an Indian summer it has been!
The weather will be turning and we are looking forward to harvest with rosehips and haws nearly ready to pick. Sloes will need a bit longer and blackberries, apples and plums are nearly over. The picture today is of my rhubarb vodka that has been stewing for several months. I am looking forward to sampling it one cold winter evening.

Only those of you who have signed up to receive these notes via the church website will be receiving them for the next three weeks: I will not be able to access my computer and data protection rules prevents me from copying all your email addresses to my mobile phone. Please follow the link below if you would like to keep receiving these notes. It’s great that more than 50 people have already signed up in the last year.
Just one person has informed me that they would like to receive these from my personal account and, having received their permission, I will forward the notes to them as they go out.

God bless,

Dineke van den Bogerd

 

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Post expires at 12:53pm on Monday September 16th, 2024

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Notes for Sunday 10 September 2023

Dear friends,

Most urgently, please note that due to poor health of our vicar, the service in St Margaret’s tomorrow has been cancelled. All are welcome to come to café church in the garden of the Crown in Capel at 10:30, where Bob and the Band will be making beautiful music and challenging our pre-conceived ideas. The order of service (menu) is attached.
Please remember Rev Liz in your prayers as she has had a rough time of it this summer and we pray that she will be restored to full health soon.

Many thanks to all who have so far signed up to receive these notes via our website. If for any reason you can’t sign up this way (see foot note) please let me know by return email so I can make sure you keep receiving the notes after I close down the current system by the end of this month. If in doubt please get in touch.

I hope you can all stay cool in these record temperatures.
The picture today is of the back of our house (the open windows are next door’s). For many years now I have followed the South American system (inspired by novels of Gabriel Garcia Marquez) of keeping cool by closing all windows, doors and curtains and covering windows with white sheets before the sun hits the house. Only when the outside temperature falls below the inside (around 7pm at the moment) do I open everything so the house can cool down.
Do try to enjoy the balmy evenings before autumn settles in.

God bless,

Dineke van den Bogerd

 

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Post expires at 9:43am on Monday September 9th, 2024

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