PRICE: 20P APRIL 1999

THE CHURCH OF ST THOMAS A BECKET

SHIRENEWTON

PARISHES OF SHIRENEWTON AND NEWCHURCH

MAGAZINE

INCUMBENT: The Revd Hugh Trenchard 424984

CHURCH WARDENS: Mrs Jean Jones Shirenewton 641627

Mrs Cynthia Smith Shirenewton 626712

Mrs Pam Manning Newchurch 650294

Mr Steve Manning Newchurch 650294

ORGANISTS: Mr Martyn Cole Shirenewton 626791

Mrs Kath Whittington Newchurch 641600

FROM THE RECTOR

ONE OF THE FAMILY

Westminster Abbey's Modern Martyrs: in July 1998 ten new statues were consecrated on the West Front of Westminster Abbey. In this series we look at the lives of the courageous Christians who are represented there, all of them people of our century who laid down their lives for Christ.

Brian Blandford tells the story of GRAND DUCHESS ELIZABETH OF RUSSIA - 1918 . A grand-child of Queen Victoria, and brought up under her protection, Elizabeth married Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, a son of the Russian Orthodox faith.

In 1905 her husband was assassinated, and her world turned upside down. Selling her precious possessions, she began in Moscow the convent of Saints Martha and Mary, whose members united Mary's devotion (listening to the Lord's words), and Martha's practical service (as if taking care of Christ). Then came the Bolshevik Revolution. For a while, she was allowed to carry on her work, but in 1918 Elizabeth was arrested and forced to make the long journey to join the Imperial Family in Ekaterinburg.

On 17 July 1918 the Tsar and his family were shot dead. The next night Elizabeth, another nun, Sister Varvara, and remaining members of the royal family were taken to an isolated mine-shaft. One of their captors recounted:

"First we led Grand Duchess Elizabeth up to the mine. After throwing her down the shaft, we heard her struggling in the water for some time. We pushed the nun lay-sister Varvara down after her. We again heard the splashing of water and then the two women's voices... we had to throw in all the men also. None of them, it seems, drowned, and after a short time we were able to hear all their voices again. Then I threw in a grenade... After a short while we heard talking. I threw another grenade. And what do you think - from beneath the ground we heard singing!"

("I believe in God like I believe in the sun. Not just because I can see him, but because by him I can see everything else." C S Lewis)

I hope by the time you receive this magazine you will have also received an Easter Card with all the Holy Week services. A happy and holy Easter to you all.

Hugh Trenchard

SERVICES FOR HOLY WEEK AND EASTER

MON 29 MARCH LLANFAIR 7.30 PM Compline and Meditation - The high Priests Annas and Caiaphas: there is much you need to know about us.

TUE 30 MARCH NEWCHURCH 7.30 PM Compline and Meditation - Annas interrogates Jesus: Who are you?

WED 31 MARCH SHIRENEWTON 7.30 PM Fellowship study and Compline - The Palm Sunday Meditation: But Passover is tomorrow: The owner of the upper room asks Jesus just what meal they're eating...

MAUNDY THURSDAY CAERWENT 7.30 PM Eucharist and vigil until midnight: Peter wants everything Jesus can give and forgets what to give in return: Wash me through and through.

GOOD FRIDAY SHIRENEWTON 2 PM - 3 PM Meditations

EASTER EVE CAERWENT 8 PM Eucharist and Easter Vigil

EASTER DAY 8.30 AM Eucharist - Llanfair

9.45 AM Eucharist - Shirenewton

11 AM Eucharist - Caerwent

2.30 PM Eucharist - Newchurch

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK: 10 - 15 MAY 1999

Christian Aid week is approaching once more and in preparation for this I would like you to dwell for a few moments on last year's wonderful response to our appeal. In the parish of Shirenewton we collected a magnificent total of £516.96. Thank you all for your generosity and particularly the small band of dedicated collectors.

You may recall the collective effort was focussed on help to Ethiopia and how relief was necessary to ease the harrowing images of famine and disease following years of civil war.

These are a few extracts from the latest bulletin issued by Christian Aid Partners for Change, which is dedicated to provide vital support and services to overseas areas:

"In Ethiopia the poverty faced by the majority of the population is blindingly obvious and at times deeply distressing . Yet, at each of the Christian Aid supported projects there was determination that was both moving and humbling.

In Addis Ababa a project was set up to help poor families with twins. Most had arrived with no means of feeding their children. Now they were helping to support their families by producing and selling baskets, jewellery and spices.

The Woken programme has made remarkable strides since it was set up in 1996 and now meets a range of essential needs for this poor and remote country. The 1.5 hectare plant nursery provides local people with specially selected trees, capable of holding scarce water and improving the soil. The introduction of vitamin rich apples, carrots and cabbage is already reducing the effects of malnourishment. Before, the local spring often ran dry, now a simple but effective capping system provides clean water all year round."

This is just the beginning' there is still much to do. But thanks to your support and the dedication of Christian Aid's partners on the ground a firm basis is being built for even more effective development programmes in the future, and we hope you will continue to generously support this year's house to house collection. Next month's magazine will feature fund raising events taking place in Caldicot.

Dennis Hopkins

SHIRENEWTON MOTHERS' UNION

The first meeting of 1999 took place at the Recreational Hall on Wednesday 10 March at 2.30 pm. The new Enrolling Member, Mrs Auriol Horton, was pleased to welcome the Revd Hugh Trenchard who led the opening prayers and she thanked him for his support on this her first meeting. Some members were unable to attend due to illness and we wish them a speedy return to good health. However, the meeting was still well supported and enthusiastically received the enjoyable and enlightening slide show and talk by Jean Jones on her holiday in India. Mrs Marcia Hoskins gave the vote of thanks.

The next meeting will be on14 April at 2.30 pm when our speaker will be the Revd Hugh Trenchard. New members and visitors will always be welcomed - come at three and enjoy our Talk and Tea!

A note for Members' Diaries - the Deanery Festival will be held at Caldicot on Tuesday 11 May 1999.

Auriol Horton -Enrolling Member

SHIRENEWTON CHURCH FETE - SATURDAY 12 JUNE 1999 - NEWS UPDATE

The arrangements for the fete are well in hand and we are looking forward to starting the Millennium celebrations with the theme of the year 1900. Mrs Elaine Rigby has offered to organise classes for the Talent competition, the classes are 5 - 7 yrs

8 - 11 yrs

12 yrs and over.

Anyone who would like to enter, whether it is a musical item, poetry, dancing or any other entertainment and would like further information, please contact Mrs Rigby on 641 694 for details. The categories for the fancy dress and float competition are:

7 years and under

8 years and over

Group

Single or group with children's vehicle

Mounted rider.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 13 April at 8 pm at the Huntsman Hotel.

W M Jones

D'YOU WANNA BE IN MY BAND?

Until Christmas 1997 church bell ringing was a vaguely pleasing sound I heard coming through the air on occasional winter evenings.

The Shirenewton bells had just been re-hung the previous month. In January, Mike, my husband, who had rung bells in his youth was head hunted to join the fledgling Shirenewton Band. The next week he went again. Not wanting to sit by myself on Friday evenings watching the telly, the following week I went along too.

Well, that was the beginning. I was asked "Can you hear the six bells going down?" Answer "No." I counted and counted, perhaps I could sometimes. I was handed a rope, "hold it here, like this, pull here." - tail stroke. Then after a week or two "catch it here, and pull like this." - hand stroke. Then a few weeks later join the two together, "pull the tail-end, catch the sally," (The sally is the fluffy bit in the middle of the bell rope). "Pull a bit harder, " "not so hard," "catch a bit higher," "catch a little lower," "the bell's coming down," the bell's up too high," "Oh dear, you bumped the stay." Eventually, I could control the bell. I could ring in rounds with the others. Next, it was calling the bells into different positions, 3 to 4, 4 to 2. It was a whole new language. This was followed by learning to alter the speed of your bell so you can course your bell through the others from the front to the back and down to the lead again, this is Plain Hunting.

At this stage I started to go to other towers on group practice nights and meet all sorts of new people, from as far afield as Rhumney to Pershore and Abergavenny to Bristol. I must have met as least 100 people in a year.

On practice night at Shirenewton we are joined by ringers from nearby towers, so it is a fun time and we are learning to ring more but we still need local ringers to become members of the Shirenewton Band. We want to go beyond Plain Hunt into the mysterious and complicated world of the ancient art of Method Ringing.

With an enthusiastic Shirenewton Band who knows, perhaps in the future we could even win striking competitions. Come and join us, young or old, bring a friend or one of your family, on Friday nights, at 7.30 to 9.00 for practice and if you are over eighteen for a beer in the local pub afterwards.

Pip Penney

SHIRENEWTON BELL RINGERS

The bell apparatus is mechanical and requires regular maintenance. Sometimes running repairs are required which means we need tools available on site immediately. Although we have been donated several spanners we are still short of an electric drill which must have a half-inch or 12 mm chuck capacity. If anyone has a surplus drill, drill bits, particularly 10 and 12 mm (or hammer), these would be gratefully received to add to our kit.

Contact Mike Penney 650 653 or Glynis MacDonald 641 818

GAERLLWYDD WOMEN'S MEETINGS - WEDNESDAY AT 2.30 PM

7 April Open Meeting

21 April Rev J Williams, Cardiff

200 CLUB - JANUARY 1999 DRAW

£40 No 54 Mrs M Grattan

£20 No 70 Mr Alan Burrows

£20 No 229 Miss B Moore

£20 No 218 Mrs T Cole

SHIRENEWTON WOMEN'S INSTITUTE

The February meeting of Shirenewton WI was well attended. The President, Mrs Winifred Jones, welcomed Mr David Delawder who was accompanied by his guide dog Kirby. Mr Delawder gave a very interesting and enlightening talk on the training of guide dogs and the difference having a guide dog had made to his life. He also pointed out that The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association rely entirely on donations from the public to fund their work. Kirby certainly seemed to enjoy all the attention he received from members and it was interesting to hear of his many antics. The vote of thanks was given by Mrs Jean Howe.

The evening concluded with refreshments, tea hostesses being Mrs Bernice Bowen and Mrs Shirley Bonsey. The raffle was won by Mrs Thelma Moore.

Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, 15 April 1999, commencing at 7.15 pm at the Recreation Hall, when the speaker Mrs J Betts will give a talk on the "Ostrich Farm". Tea hostesses: Mrs M Gostelow and Mrs W Chui. Raffle prize: Mrs P Noble.

New members are always made very welcome - we have a varied and interesting programme planned for the rest of the year.

Margaret Woodliffe - Secretary

SHIRENEWTON VPA

The March meeting was our Annual Bulb Show. There was a fairly good attendance and entries were slightly up on last year. The overall winner was Mrs M Grattan. The judging was carried out by Mrs M Moody, and we thank her very much for carrying out that duty. After the judging we had refreshments and the cheese scones and the sticky gingerbread provided by Mrs J Ovens were delightful.

Afterwards we had a short business meeting. We were reminded about the Quiz at Usk College on Wednesday 24 March at 7.30 pm.

Mrs M Grattan won the raffle. The next meeting will be in the Huntsman Hotel on Monday 12 April at 7.30 pm. The speaker will be Mr M Tod and he will be telling us about "Growing Up on a Welsh Hill Farm". Raffle prize and biscuits to be provided by Mrs B Davies.

SUNDAY SCHOOL AND YOUTH CLUB

The new term will start on Sunday 25 April - Sunday School at the Chantry at 9.45 am and gardening and a swim for Youth Club, time to be arranged.

If anyone one has some spare bark that we could use on the Recreation Hall garden patch we would be very grateful.

Jane Smith-Haddon

Tel: 641 525

(Parish Youth Page)

Hi Ya Everybody! I think spring has sprung. My owners have got the spring-cleaning bug big-time and are dusting, hoovering and washing like mad. Personally it takes me ages to get my bean-bag all squidgy and comfy but no - they've just got to be a-straightening and a-shaking. It's a dog's life......

So it being spring time, how about a spring-time quiz???

1 What is a dear little baby bunny called?

2 How is the date of Easter set? (Bet yer mums and dads don't know that!)

3 Who is the national saint of Wales and when is he celebrated?

4 Who is the national saint of Ireland and when is he celebrated?

5 Who is the national saint of England and when is he celebrated?

6 What is the vernal equinox?

7 When is the vernal equinox?

8 What is a dear little baby hare called?

9 William Willit? Who he?

10 What is the difference between frog spawn, toad spawn and newt spawn?

11 What is a dear little baby froglet called?

12 What does the Easter bunny bring?

Answers here.

From the Birthday Book....

Claire Eickhoff was 6 on 9 March - Bonne Anniversaire!

Joke Line.....

How do we know that God is male?

Because we sing hymns not hers!!!!

by James Bounds

It was such a lovely day

I thought it was a pity to get up

for teenagers everywhere from 'Our Betters' by Somerset Maughan

I enjoy convalescence. It is the part that makes the illness worthwhile.

from 'Back to Methuselah' by George Bernard Shaw.

See ya! Pyp

THANKS

I would like to say a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to Pauline and Stuart Dutton who have volunteered to take over the editing of this magazine. They both played their part in village life before going abroad to live - remember the annual village Panto? And it's great to see them step back into the swing of things almost before the plane touched down bringing them back home. I really am most grateful to you both for taking on the mag - many thanks.

Jane Smith-Haddon

SHIRENEWTON'S NEW YEAR'S EVE MILLENNIUM PARTY

It's now being planned...

We wrote to everyone in Shirenewton recently to see if they wanted to take part in a Shirenewton Millennium Party on 31 December. Many people wrote back saying YES...... so it is definitely going ahead and here are just a few details for now:

The party will be a really excellent family party held at the school on 31 December 1999 and will start at 9 pm, probably through to 2 am. Everyone will be welcome from small children to teenagers to friends and relatives of all ages.

And it's not just for families with children at Shirenewton School, so if you don't have any children you will still be very welcome because we want to make this a real Shirenewton celebration to remember with all your friends, without the worry of long distances to travel or high costs of baby sitters to organise (if you can find one!).

The party will include children's entertainment, a magician, games for children and adults, a disco, special festivity local entertainment, drinks of 'bubbly' to celebrate the night with, and be themed to give everyone a chance to dress in fancy clothes or black tie or whatever they feel correct for such a special night out.

Tickets will be available in about four weeks from now and a notice similar to this will be sent to you with complete details and pricing etc.

If you have already responded to our first circular then you will be contacted directly to make sure you have an early opportunity to obtain tickets.

COOKERY CORNER

This month's recipe has been sent in by Barbara Davies who found it in an old village magazine... and I'm all for a bit of recycling!

Marshmallow Rice Krispies

1 oz butter

2 oz marshmallows

2¹/₂ oz Rice Krispies

Melt butter in saucepan, add marshmallows and stir over low heat until marshmallows have melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and add Rice Krispies, and stir until well coated. Press into a greased 7" square tin. Cool, then cut into 18 triangle.

GARDENING CORNER.

By the time you read this another month will have almost passed, and April will be looming ever larger. Yet another winter of mixed fortunes, with too much rain, too many mild days, and not enough sub-zero nights for the gardeners among us. So what does that mean? Well no doubt that, without a long cold spell, it will be a pitched battle against all manner of pests and diseases, especially Slugs and snails. I have often fancied getting some ducks, which can wander around the garden at their leisure gulping down slugs with gay abandon. Rural idyll this may be but those in the know tell me that ducks don't differentiate between the green things that we grow, and the slimy things that we inadvertently grow as well. If that is the case we will just have to carry on doing what we do now ,which is encourage the frogs, toads and the hedgehogs to use the garden as their idea of culinary heaven. Shame they don't eat green and whitefly as well! I wandered past our wildlife pond the other day, to be greeted by a crescendo of toads, busy with their nuptials. Perhaps nature knows that it is going to be a good year for slugs and is preparing to combat the foe. If the amount of frog and toad spawn is anything to go by it is certainly going to be a bumper year.

Certainly the weather hasn't been conducive to gardening but then we never will be satisfied, no matter what conditions prevail. The soil is certainly warming up now, as overwintering plants begin to send out the first new flush of growth. As soon as conditions are right and the soil has dried up you can begin the great spring clean. Start cutting back herbaceous perennial plants back to the ground and mulch with compost as you progress through the beds. It is unlikely that we will get any really hard penetrating frosts that will damage the young growth at this stage. If you are in a very exposed garden or a frost pocket it may be worth waiting a little longer before you do this cleaning up. Make sure you put all the cuttings in your compost bin. Now is the best time for cutting back shrubs such as Buddleias which will flower on this years new growth. Similarly summer flowering clematis, blooming on the current year's wood should also be cut back hard. Willows and dogwoods should also be cut back hard to the ground especially if the stems are more than three years old. These are grown for the winter colour of their stems and this is always strongest on one and two year old wood. Winter flowering heathers will soon be past their best. These should be trimmed with shears to remove the fading flowers and to keep them in shape. Like conifer hedges however, do not cut into the old wood as this will not shoot back out. Often when I am doing this job on older plants, I will peg down one or two branches, and cover the base with soil. This will encourage new roots to grow and will provide replacement plants when the parent becomes too old and woody. If you are able to grow roses these too can be cut back for the first time now. Cut stems by a third to a half. These will then be pruned again once damaging frosts are well past. Unfortunately the soil here seems to be too light for successful rose growing, so apart from one or two struggling climbers, I tend to give them a miss.

Many people think of bulbs as providing spring colour, but these days you can find varieties that will give you colour in every season. Our tubs of daffodils that we moved out of the greenhouse are now providing us with a mass of spring colour. I prefer to plant a mixture of single and double flowered varieties, as this will extend the flowering period. Now is the best time to move snowdrops, whilst "in the green". Most people prefer to move them when they have finished flowering, but in truth you can move them at any time whilst they show above the ground, even in full flower. At the moment I am busy potting up those lilies that I promised myself last month, along with some nerines, which will provide autumn colour, and a summer flowering narcissi, which is said to have between twelve and fifteen flowers on a single stem, and is very fragrant. This is a new one for me so I can't wait to see how it gets on. This will be destined for a small, secret part of the garden, as are the regale lilies, which is being created to provide scent all the year round. Other bulbs(corms!), which will have to wait a little longer for conditions to improve before planting, are the summer flowering gladioli. I always plant these in bold groups to make a powerful statement. The modern varieties must rate as some of the most colourful flowers in the garden, with every conceivable colour and bi-colour imaginable. It is now time to split up congested clumps of herbaceous perennials, or dig up and remove old plants which have lost there vigour. Some of our penstemons have been flowering away for five years in the oldest part of the garden, and these will certainly need replacing with something new this year.

The vegetable garden will also be waking up now. We have finished picking the brussel sprouts now, and these have been followed by cauliflowers and spring cabbage. The only other thing that we have left in the ground are parsnips and some leeks. These will hopefully be able to stay in the ground until we want them, otherwise I will dig them up and earth them in somewhere else if space should become short. I have never been very successful with overwintering hardy peas and beans, so early crops under polythene will be going in over the next few days. Parsnips seed should also go in as soon as possible as should shallots. Always buy fresh seed of parsnips though, as it doesn't store well, and will be a certain failure if you economise and try and use the remains of last year. It is some of the cheapest vegetable seed to buy so don't be tempted. The first of the early carrot seed has also gone in, which should provide juicy roots in June.

In the greenhouse the propogating bench is now full with seed trays. As one crop of winter greens finishes the next is going in, as sprouts, broccoli, summer cauliflowers and winter cabbage seed are all being sown now. Some tomato and other salad crop seed went in several weeks ago, as these will be destined to be grown under cover. Outdoor varieties should be sown over the next few weeks.

There is still time to finish cutting hedges and pruning fruit trees, but do not delay as the birds are nesting in earnest. Do not despair if you do disturb a nest, as there is still time to build another. Another week or so and there will be eggs in the nest, and all hedge cutting should cease. There is a great deal of work waiting to be done here at Barn farm, but as I write this the rain is beginning to fall outside yet again. Just when I thought that I could finish constructing a new flower bed in order to make the site ready for the pool and stream. Still never mind, there is plenty of repotting to be done in the polythene tunnel so I will have to head down in that direction instead. Happy gardening.

Steve Hunt.

PS A first reminder for your diaries. Barn Farm will be opening its gates under the National Gardens Scheme on the following days, May 30th, June 13th and July 11th. In addition we will be opening on Sunday 27th June, in order to help raise funds for Shirenewton Guides, who are travelling to Switzerland in August. The Guides will be providing refreshments on the day, and there may be more. Watch this space over the next two months.

Please send notes or disks for next month's magazine to:

Pauline Dutton, 4 Newton Manor, Shirenewton

Tel: 641 677

by Friday 23 April 1999

DIARY

3 Apr 8.00 pm Fete Meeting - Huntsman Hotel

7 Apr 2.30 pm Gaerllwydd Women's Meeting

14 Apr 2.30 pm Mothers' Union - Shirenewton Recreation Hall

12 Apr 7.30 pm VPA - Huntsman Hotel

15 Apr 7.15 pm WI - Shirenewton Recreation Hall

21 Apr 2.30 pm Gaerllwydd Women's Meeting

11 May Mothers' Union Deanery Festival

10 15 May Christian Aid Week

Answers to Pyp's spring time quiz....

1 A cute little baby bunny is called a kitten

2 Of course - it's obvious - the Sunday after the first full moon after 21 March - easy!!!

3 St David - 1 March

4 Saint Patrick - 17 March

5 St George - 23 April

6 It's when the day and night are of equal length

7 20 March

8 The cute little baby hare is called a leveret

9 Chap in the last century who introduced summer saving daylight hours, and who made us put our clocks forward last Sunday - boo!

10 Frog spawn is in clumps - toad spawn is in strings - and the newt spawn is individually laid and gently wrapped up in a carefully chosen pond-weed leaf.

11 And the cute little baby froglet is called Freddy of course! No... err... a tadpole

12 Yummy scrummy Easter Eggs!!

SERVICES - APRIL 1999 - SHIRENEWTON

DATE READER SIDESPERSON

April

4 Easter Sunday Jane Smith-Haddon Mrs W Jones

Holy Eucharist - 9.45 am Cynthia Smith Claire Lewis

11 1 Sunday after Easter Mr R Grattan Mr J Nicholas

Holy Eucharist - 9.45 am Mr J Nicholas Kevin Bounds

18 2nd Sunday after Easter Sunday School

Family Service - 9.45 am

25 3rd Sunday after Easter - St Mark Mrs W Jones Mr B Robinson

Holy Eucharist - 9.45 am Alicea Brown Mr R Grattan

May

2 4th after Easter - Sts Philip and James Trisha Cole Mrs B Bowen

Holy Eucharist - 9.45 am Colin Draper Mr D Hopkins

NEWCHURCH: 2.30 pm every Sunday