The Bridge Magazine - Advent 2018

The Bridge is the quarterly magazine for All Saints' Church in Marlow

1. All Saints Church Marlow
The Bridge
Advent 2018 - Free Copy
Six of our senior choir girls sang Choral Evensong
with the choir of St. Paul’s Cathedral on November 17
th

2. We Are Here Now. What Next? - Dave Bull
T
hree weeks ago, I returned to work from
my three month sabbatical. It was one
of the happiest and most restful periods of
my life. I owe a huge debt of thanks to all
those who made it possible and to you – my
church family – for the loving welcome I have
received since getting back. I returned to
work eager to see you all again and feeling
renewed in every way.
On sabbatical, I experienced something
that will be familiar to those of you who
are artists, grandparents, bricklayers and
many others. When we stop and step away
from what we are involved in, we see it in a
different way. Our perspective is changed,
especially when we are able to get quite a
distance away from what we have previously
only seen close up.
I am sharing elsewhere about various other
aspects of my sabbatical, so in this edition
of The Bridge, I would like to share with you
what I think I have seen about our church
family here at all Saints Marlow during my
time away.
The first half of this year was an
extraordinarily painful time for our church
family. We suffered what seemed at the
time like a never ending barrage of painful
events.
Among these were: the suicide of one of
our guests on last year’s Alpha course,
the life-threatening brain surgery Gabrielle
Smith underwent, the premature departure
of our intern Sophie through illness and
bereavement, the departure (for different
and unconnected reasons) of Helen our
youth worker and Anna our children’s worker,
the terrible and life-threatening illnesses that
afflicted Martin and Simon – two dearly loved
dads who are both members of the 1059
worship band, and several other personal
illnesses and family tragedies that are
too private for me to record here. In total,
I counted over thirty separate traumatic
events between February and May in our
church family.
Many of you will have been aware of at least
some of these events . Some of you have
suffered personally, sometimes at terrible
cost. Others may have been completely
unaware for perfectly valid reasons (for
example if you have only just joined the
church). Speaking personally, it was an
excruciatingly painful time for me. To be
involved in so many dimensions of suffering
in such a short period made it the most
painful period of my working life so far. I am
more grateful than I can ever say for the
love, prayers and generous thoughtfulness
that the church family showed to me and to
one another during this awful period.
For all of these reasons, it came as a very
welcome break at the end of July to go away
on sabbatical. I needed it and so did my
family. At that stage, most of the smoke had
cleared, but with many in the church still in
a great deal of pain. It was an especially
challenging time for those who led the church
in my absence – I am more grateful than I
can ever say to them for the wonderful way
in which they have led the church forwards
over the past few months – in recovery but
also in new growth. In particular, I want to
pay tribute to our churchwardens Julie and
Ruth and our staff, volunteer and clergy
teams for their extraordinary commitment.
Upon returning to our church family, I have
been delighted and humbled to see how
many good things have happened in the
second half of the year. I have met several
people who have come to faith and/or joined
the church family over the past few months.
They all report with joy how welcome they
have been made. I see a growing core in our
church family who are deeply committed to
God and to one another, who are serving,
helping, and volunteering simply with
the goal of being a blessing to others –
particularly in our work with children and
young people where we have lost our staff
leaders for the time being. I see many who
have visibly grown in their leadership gifts
over these past few months – I think you
know who you are! Thank you to you all.
Most of all, the love that has been shared
by this church family has been very healing.
As a church, I believe we have grown in our
capacity to love this year – and this is the
most important measure of all.
Despite all of these positive signs, there are
also – quite naturally – scars and hurts that
remain from the difficult season we have
been through. I doubt if there is a single
part of our church’s life that has emerged
unscathed. As a result of this, I also see
a high level of anxiety and fear about the
future, in particular around our church
finances, which have suffered also. This
anxiety is natural and understandable. It is
also the biggest obstacle to the way that lies
ahead.
Someone once claimed that Jesus’s
command “do not worry“ is the most
disobeyed Instruction in the Bible. They may
well be right! It is hard to weed anxiety and
fear out of our lives at the best of times. It
is even harder when we are hurting or have
just come through an especially stormy time.
But it is at moments like these that our faith
is tested and – we hope – proved genuine. It
is in times like these that we see God most at
work. It was after the apparent disaster and
suffering of the cross, that the church was
born and the hurting and fearful disciples
were sent out to build the infant church.
In the same way, God is sending us out
here, now. Scripture invites us: “cast all your
anxieties on him, because he cares for you”
(1 Peter 5:7). For us at All Saints Marlow
today, being led by the Spirit means being
willing to risk ourselves again in his call to
follow him where he is leading.
We might wish this year had been different.
We may wish we weren’t in our current
position. But we are here now. We are
ordinary people – currently somewhat
anxious and hurting – but we are loved by
an extraordinary God who promises a future
of peace, healing and blessing. If we can
continue onwards together, united on our
journey to follow Jesus in the months ahead,
then, when it’s our turn to hand our church
on to the next generation, we may look back
upon this as our finest hour. May the peace
of Christ be born in your heart this Advent.

3. Art & Spirituality - Linda Scott & Anne Morse
A
dvent 2018 – Starting the Journey
The display in the Prayer Chapel for Advent,
begins with Mary’s encounter with the Angel
Gabriel at Nazareth, foretelling the birth
of Jesus. We then follow their journey to
Bethlehem, as they comply with the census,
their search for somewhere to stay, the birth
of Christ and the visit by the shepherds.
The visit by the Magi will also be part of the
installation. They received a warning asking
them not to return to Herod to tell him where
they had found Jesus and subsequently,
Joseph was warned in a dream not to return
to Nazareth, but to flee, leading to the
family’s eventual escape to Egypt.
The installations will feature images and texts
related to each of these places and events
2,000 years ago, as well as comparisons
with situations today. In particular, just as
Mary, Joseph and Jesus fled as refugees to
seek sanctuary in Egypt from the wrath of
Herod, we aim to briefly introduce the current
situation with regard to refugees 2,000 years
on, as they too seek a safe haven. We aim
to expand on this theme in the coming year.
During Lent we hope to continue the present
refugee story in greater depth, with larger
scale installations that will highlight the
plight of millions of people from around the
world today who are fleeing danger and
uncertainty.
Churches Together in Marlow - Tony Threlfall
T
wo men’s breakfasts are held each year
at Harleyford Golf Club. In September,
20 men got together to hear a talk on ‘Why I
am a Military Chaplain’ from Rev Ian Brown,
currently posted at HQ Air Command where
he had been working with Ven. Jonathon
Chaffey. In October, over 70 people gathered
to enjoy a delicious Harvest Supper at Christ
Church URC. The occasion, hosted by River
Church, resulted in net proceeds of £295. To
commemorate the end of the Great War in
1918, hundreds of churches and individuals
across the UK committed to pray for today’s
armed forces. To participate in the project, a
3-hour drop-in prayer meeting was held at
Marlow Methodist Church on 13
th
October.
At the late-night shopping event on
Thursday 6
th
December, look out for Mary
and Joseph with their donkey, shepherds
with their sheep, and wise men arriving from
the camel park. Then make your way to
Marlow Methodist Church to receive a warm
welcome, and see the animals in their pens.
A CTM prayer meeting will be held at Marlow
Methodist Church on Saturday 8
th
December
at 9 am. Christmas Services leaflets will be
available in churches, and at hotels and the
WDC information office.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
is traditionally observed from 18
th
to 25
th
January - the octave of St Peter and St Paul.
The aims are to pray as Christ prayed ‘That
they may be one’, and to pray for the unity of
all Christian people as we share in Christ’s
ministry locally and throughout the world.
Daytime prayer meetings will take place
at Marlow Methodist Church. A combined
Celebration and AGM will be held at Newfield
Community Church on Sunday 20
th
January
at 6.45 pm. The Unity Supper will take
place at St Peter’s School on Tuesday 22
nd
January at 7.30 pm, when Pam Thompson
will talk about Tradecraft producers in Nepal.
During Lent, as a change from the York
Course, it is proposed to use a study course
produced by USPG (United Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel). Migration
& Movement explores migration and the
global movement of people, with stories
from the world-wide church. The course
booklet contains six studies with an opening
reflection, Bible passages and questions,
personal stories followed by questions, and
closing prayer. Daytime and evening groups
will be set up to suit individual preference as
far as possible.
THE BRIDGE
The Bridge is published four times a year. The next edition is
Lent/Easter - March to May 2019
Please submit copy to the Producer by February 18
th
Producer: Derrick Southon 01628 487588 or 07501 128605
e-mail: [email protected]

4. Two Christmas Choral Pieces - Rhidian Jones
C
hurch musicians currently approach a
busy season with its special services
and concerts. As usual, at All Saints Church
we look forward to three major services, at
Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. In this
issue of The Bridge, I’d like to mention two
of the choir’s offerings in the forthcoming
service of Nine Lessons and Carols on
23
rd
December. Amongst other things, at
that service we’ll be singing two pieces by
English composers, written fewer than ten
years apart, one by Herbert Howells, the
other by Peter Warlock.
Herbert Howells (1892-1983) was one of the
major English composers of the twentieth
century. Born in Gloucester, he was
taught by Stanford, Parry and Wood, and
was greatly influenced by his friend Ralph
Vaughan Williams. He took a scholarly
interest in Tudor and Jacobean music,
then largely unpublished. As a teacher, he
was influential upon the next generation of
English composers including Gordon Jacob
and Imogen Holst.
His ‘Carol-anthem for use at Christmastide’
A Spotless Rose was published in 1919,
remaining a favourite to this day. Its text is a
translation of the delicate medieval German
text Es ist ein Ros entsprungen: ‘A spotless
rose is blowing, sprung from a tender root,
of ancient seers’ foreshowing, of Jesse
promised fruit’.
I am struck by the unusual but apt
performance direction, ‘With easeful
movement’, which conveys much of
its character. There is a rapidly flowing
melody, rising and falling within an octave,
repeated at a higher pitch. The first verse
is harmonised chordally, the chord changing
with each note of the melody. The second
verse is given to a tenor soloist with a less
hurried choral harmonisation. We are taken
unawares near the end at the text ‘in a cold
winter’s night’, where the movement is
unexpectedly halted for the word ‘cold’ to be
repeated, followed by a broadening of the
melody. The melody is not a folk melody nor
is it plainsong, yet its freedom suggests both.
S
aturday November 17
th
was a very
special day for six of our senior girls
as they got the opportunity to sing Choral
Evensong with the choir of St Paul’s
Cathedral in London. Beth, Erin, Jenna,
Lizzie, Lucia and Martha had passed their
silver or bronze Bishops Chorister exams
over the last 12 months and this was the
service where they received their certificates
along with 18 other choristers from other
churches in the London area.
Although the choir were singing in the choir
stalls which are somewhat removed from
the congregation in the nave, the awards
ceremony took place on the dais in front of
us and their choir directors were invited to
go and stand with their candidates as they
received their certificates. As the Canon in
residence, The Venerable Shelia Watson,
had previously held the post of Archdeacon
of Buckingham, we got a special mention by
her to the congregation as she distributed
the certificates. All of the choristers then
turned around and received a well deserved
and warm round of applause.
Interestingly although the acoustic of the
cathedral is very resonant and doesn’t
always lend itself to clarity of the spoken
or sung word the choir director, Andrew
Carwood, let the music speak for itself at a
pace that was appropriate for the text rather
than the building. The psalm which had lots
of colour with text such as ‘Through thee will
we overthrow our enemies’ was sung with
some forward momentum.
If you’ve never had the opportunity of taking
a guided tour around the building, I would
recommend it as whilst observing the choir
rehearsal I overheard the guide telling a
group of visitors that the tripe dome weighs
64,000 tons which is heavier than the new
aircraft carrier that is underway with sea
trials at the moment. Also, most of the
colourful decoration is Victorian and was
started after Queen Victoria mentioned that
the building seemed very plain. Most of the
glass in the mosaics is from the island of
Munro off Venice and is set at an angle to
give much more of a 3D effect.
Much closer to home by way of an update
on our recruitment since the beginning of
September our junior girls’ choir has only
increased by one new member and the
boys’ choir by three. A good six or more are
needed every year to ensure the long-term
health of the choir. I acknowledge that some
years you get quite a few new recruits and
others not many. However, the trend over
the last few years has not been encouraging.
As I mentioned in my last article, we all need
to be a marketing force mentioning the
excellent opportunities available, which are
exemplified by what the senior girls have just
achieved, many of whom have been in the
choir since early stages of their junior school
education.
We have vacancies in most groups, including
musicians at the 10.59 service, so if you feel
you have a gift to offer as published at our
recent ‘Vision Sunday’ then do make contact
by phoning the parish office 01628 481806
or email me at - [email protected]
Music Matters - Martin Seymour
All of the successful Bishops Chorister candidates

5. First Love - Gill Taylor
W
hat is your favourite song or piece of
music?
Music has an amazing evocative quality,
bringing alive long forgotten memories. Are
there songs that do this for you? Sometimes
the songs we sing in church can remind us of
significant spiritual times in our lives.
One song that does that for me is a song
called: My First Love by Stuart Townend. This
song was first around when I was a teenager,
and when I hear it now it still reminds me of
the passion I had for Jesus at that time. It
was around this time that I first experienced
the Holy Spirit, and first led worship in my
home church. It was a time of excitement
and realisation that God was real, living and
active in my life and all around me.
I still have a passion for Jesus, but with
adult life, challenges and responsibilities
it’s easy to let that passion be squashed
by other things that are very demanding –
but ultimately less important. Jesus speaks
directly into this in the book of Revelation
(Chapter 2) where he says:
I know your deeds, your hard work and your
perseverance…
3
You have persevered
and have endured hardships for my name,
and have not grown weary.
4
Yet I hold this
against you: You have forsaken the love you
had at first.
I have two thoughts around this. The first is
to be aware that some of you reading this
might not have met Jesus yet. If that’s you
– I’d like to encourage you to pray a simple
prayer like this: “Jesus, if you’re real, please
come into my life. Help me get to know
you. Amen.” Then tell someone about your
prayer. Talk to a friend you know who goes to
church, or come along to a service here and
tell one of the team. The second thought is
how can the rest of us retain that first love?
Well, a good start is to put ‘first things first’.
Let’s make sure we’re prioritising our time
praying, reading the Bible and coming to
church.

The Bible tells us that where we put our
treasure, our hearts will follow (See Matthew
6:21), so I’d encourage you to really think
about where you are putting your resources
of energy, time and money. It’s easy to
think that – particularly as adults – we have
so many calls on our resources; but if we
believe that Jesus is telling the truth, we will
consider putting ‘first things first’ in these
areas too. After all, what do we have that
God didn’t first give us?
Our relationship with God is like any other
in some senses. If we want to get to know
someone, we’ll spend time together getting
to know each other. This need doesn’t
shrink when it’s people we’ve come to love
– if anything we spend more time with them,
especially if the relationship is our priority.
It’s amazing that we have this opportunity to
get to know and love the creator of the whole
universe; the God who gave everything
– including His only Son – so we could
have a relationship with Him. As Christmas
approaches, let’s remember this and make
space for Him; Emmanuel: God with us.
The harmonies are those not solely of the ordinary major and minor scale, but suggest those scales or ‘modes’ in use four hundred years ago. This is unsurprising, given both the general trend of composition in that part of the twentieth century, and in particular Howells’ own interest in Tudor and Jacobean music. But this is no pastiche: rather these elements are mediated through Howells’ own mind and originality to form a new and personal musical language. Straightforward here, perhaps, but to be developed to the limit of recognition in his later works.*
The writing of Bethlehem Down deserves
retelling. Its composer was Philip Heseltine
(1894-1930), a well-respected music
journalist, critic and editor. Like Herbert
Howells, he took an interest in Tudor music,
preparing some for publication. He was a
champion of the composer Delius, of whom
he wrote a biography. Of a bohemian
disposition, he was beset throughout his
life by troubled thoughts. For composition
he adopted the pseudonym Peter Warlock
– the name is indicative – achieving notable
success. He excelled in small-scale forms
such as song, his music demonstrating
imagination with flashes of genius. He and
his friend, the poet Bruce Blunt, jointly entered
the Daily Telegraph Carol Competition of
1927 with Bethlehem Down, winning the first
prize (they apparently needed the money
after unusually heavy expenditure on drink).
The carol was published in the following
year.
The text depicts the nativity. The start
conveys a pleasing pastoral scene with
the child. This submits to a recognition of
the future: here, the child – never named –
has but a ‘short while for dreaming’. The
‘beautiful robes’ of the first verse will become
gravesheets, the ‘myrrh for sweetness’ will
soon be for embalming, the crown previously
of gold will be of wood. What could have
been a sentimental and unreally cosy idyll
(as too often in later carols) becomes a
darker, harder and deeper vision, created
through precise economy of text. An
expressive melody is harmonised chordally
with chromatic inflections, varied to colour
the words. The overall effect is one of
haunting beauty.
I suspect that both poem and composition
were produced quickly. The poem is
hardly subtle in the way of Es ist ein Ros
entsprungen, and some of the rhymes are
jejeune; the melody is of great character
but heard no fewer than four times, with
a harmonisation easily concocted by
a musician familiar with contemporary
French music. But professional artists can
work quickly and with focus, and these
thoughts become insignificant on hearing so
atmospheric a result.
Both pieces are quiet and reflective, each has
a pastoral sense in its melody, each conjures
an immediate and individual character, each
conveys a message appropriate to the
season. I have recently written here about
the richness of the Anglican repertoire: here
are two modest but telling examples of that
richness.
*At the Advent Carol Service on 2
nd
December you will hear the text A Spotless
Rose in a setting by Norwegian composer
Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978).

6. Mission to Romania - Alison Branch
I
n October half-term this year I returned
to Romania for my third mission trip
supporting The Smiles Foundation. www.
thesmilesfoundation.org/ This year was a
little different: a larger group of 12 which
also included eight 12-18 year olds. We
represented many different churches in the
local area, all with a link to All Saints Marlow.
We all had common goals of spreading
God’s love by helping those less fortunate
than ourselves, experiencing different
cultures, having fun and bringing smiles to
lots of Romanians’ faces.
Over the week, between us we visited
so many different projects in a variety of
different situations and there are just too
many to cover in detail, but these are a few
of my favourite moments.
We delivered a large sack of potatoes and
gifts to a family living in poverty. Six adults
and two children, including one very disabled
man all living in one room and a kitchen. We
were welcomed into their home and told
about their story. We played indoor football
with the four-year-old son, then he surprised
us by showing us four kittens that were living
under the bed. He was so proud and caring
of them. This family were so grateful that
someone cared about them and were trying
their best in a very difficult situation.
I revisited a residential elderly care centre
called JFL for the third time. Many residents
recognised me and welcomed me back,
but this time I was able to say I’d brought
my daughter Anna to visit them with her
friends, which they loved. We joined in their
‘gymnastics’ session, played board games
with the residents, helped with craft activities,
and shared our stories. After lunch we went
to every residents’ room and prayed for
them, sang worship songs to them and gave
them gifts. There were lots of tears shed and
I know every resident felt loved that day.
Over two days we transformed a building
used for temporary accommodation by
cleaning the mould away and then painting
all the rooms. We had help by Denis, a young
lad, and his mum who have been supported
by Smiles for many years and were really
keen to join in with us. It was really hard work
but a great sense of achievement.
On the last evening we made two
presentations of the money we had raised.
Firstly, we surprised Maria who runs a
school and nursery for the gypsy community
by sponsoring 12 children for a year, one
for each of us. It costs just £120 for a child
to attend the school, have two meals a day
and to be able to use the baths and showers
for the year. We then presented Kevin, the
founder of Smiles, with £2,000 to support
Smiles, however he felt was needed. They
were both overwhelmed by how much we’d
raised and how this was going to have a
huge impact on their projects.
The whole week was a whirlwind of
emotions. We became a great team, and
many now want to return again. We’d love
to chat to anyone about our stories or to tell
you more about Smiles in Romania. There is
a photo album of our visit on the back page.
‘Give thanks for what you have, whether it’s
a lot or a little’
The Benefits of Volunteering - Ruth Frost
M
ahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself
in the service of others.”
Much has been written about the benefits
of volunteering and helping others. The
organisation, ‘Action for Happiness’ sights
10 keys for happier living, one of those being
giving. Whether small, unplanned or regular
volunteering, giving your time to do things for
others is a powerful way to boost our own
happiness as well as those around us.
Volunteering and helping others increases
your satisfaction with life, gives you a
sense of meaning, makes you feel more
competent, increases confidence, improves
your mood and reduces stress. It can also
help take your mind off your own troubles.
Volunteering, most importantly, allows us to
connect with others and meet new people
and fulfils some of our basic human needs to
feel wanted and significant.
So, what does this mean for us in the context
of our church community?
In Thabiti Anyabwile’s book ‘What is a
Healthy Church Member’, he says that it is
God’s intent for Christians young and old
to play an active part in his body, the local
church. The health of the local church
depends on the willingness of its members
to inspect their hearts, correct their thinking,
and apply their hands to the work of the
ministry.
Volunteering is a clear way to ‘apply our
hands’ in whatever capacity we are able.
There are many areas of the church that
rely on volunteers including children’s work,
youth, maintenance, cleaning, gardening,
music, finance, administration, stewarding,
welcoming, flowers, bell ringing, coffee,
catering, church council, small groups, and
so it goes on.
Thabiti adds that “When we serve others in
the church, bear with one another, love one
another, correct one another, and encourage
one another, we participate in a kind of
spiritual maturity co-op where our stores and
supplies are multiplied. The end result is
growth and discipleship.”
Don’t be shy in coming forward to help and
volunteer. It’s a win-win for both you and
your church community. It is a wonderful
way to boost your mental health and the
health of God’s church body.
“Give away your life; you’ll find life given
back, but not merely given back - given back
with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting,
is the way. Generosity begets generosity.”
(Luke 6:38 The Message)
Notice seen outside a church
When you enter this church it may be possible that you hear ‘the call of God’.
However, it is unlikely that He will call you on your mobile.
Thank you for turning off your phones.
If you want to talk to God, enter, choose a quiet place and talk to Him.
If you want to see Him, send Him a text while driving.

7. Community News from Marlow’s Church of England Schools
Sandygate - Holy Trinity - Little Marlow Autumn Term 2018
Sandygate - Reception - Diwali Celebrations
T
his term the children in Reception
learned about the Hindu festival of
Diwali, The Festival of Light. The children
enjoyed listening to the story about Rama
and Sita and finding out about how some
Hindus celebrate by giving gifts, sharing
special family meals and visiting the temple.
The children were thoroughly engaged
during a creative morning that was packed
full of activities. They made clay diva lamps,
designed their own Rangoli and Mendi
patterns and listened to some traditional
Diwali music creating a truly inspiring
atmosphere. Next term we will be learning
about the Chinese New Year and tasting
some Chinese food.
Share the Journey - Vanessa Faulkner
A
participative pilgrimage for Lent 2019
The refugee crisis is part of the current political landscape and a long-term international reality. Whilst it has faded from the headlines it is no less a current reality for millions of people from Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria and Afghanistan to name a few - the conflicts continue and thousands of people are forcibly displaced from their homes every day. The bible is full of stories of refugees, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joseph and of course Mary, Joseph & Jesus himself were refugees; as Christians we are challenged by the bible in our response to the current situation.
During Lent we remember the 40 days and
40 nights when Jesus was driven into the
wilderness. For Lent 2019 we will be inviting
people to reflect on the lives of those who
are forced to flee from their homes and
driven into exile in a variety of ways:
• there will be creative installations in the lady
chapel and church to stimulate imagination,
enable reflection and encourage response
to a number of aspects of the refugee crisis.
Canterbury Cathedral was host to a thought-
provoking work during Lent last year called
‘Suspended’ to represent the way that the
lives of people on the move are often in
limbo www.canterbury-cathedral.org/whats-
on/event/suspended/
• the opportunity to join a Lent small group –
a six-week study course exploring migration
and the global movement of people using
material published by USPG, including bible
reflections and stories from the world church.
This material will also be used by Churches
Together in Marlow for their Lent groups
• we will hold a service of prayer and Holy
Communion focussing on refugees
• there will be a participative walk in solidarity
with refugees and migrants, an opportunity
to ‘Share the Journey’ and to raise money in
sponsorship to support the work of Marlow
Refugee Action (provisionally Saturday 16
th

March – save the date!). This journey will
follow a route between the team churches,
and include opportunities for reflection on
route and a section to be travelled by boat
• and there will be an opportunity for those
who wish to join a lent mission to Calais to
support the volunteer organisations who
continue to serve the refugees and migrants
who gather there in the hope of reaching the
UK.
We hope these opportunities will help people
from the church and beyond to engage
more fully with the issues and challenges
surrounding those forced to flee, and to
respond by symbolically sharing their
journey.

8. Y
ear 1 have been learning about the
Frozen Planet and focusing on the story
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers. The story
is about a penguin from the South Pole who
loses his family and finds a new friend. The
children have acted out and retold the story.
They also drew posters (like wanted posters)
and then went round the school sticking
them up for people to see, in the hope that
someone would find the Lost Penguin once
they had seen the poster. The children
have certainly enjoyed waddling around the
school and being authors themselves. In the
run up to Christmas we will be writing an
information text on Emperor penguins and
their environment.
Earlier in the term, we had a visit from
Scootability who taught the children how
to control their scooter and how to be safe
when crossing the road. They enjoyed
racing across the playground around an
obstacle course. The session was extremely
important as the children learned that when
scooting they must wear a helmet, knee
and elbows pads. They were also taught
that when they cross a road, they must step
off the scooter and look both ways before
walking across the road. Having the freedom
to scoot around the playground brought
smiles to their faces!
Sandygate Yr 1 - Penguins and Scooters Sandygate Yr 2 - Wycombe Museum Visit
Y
ear 2 have embraced their topic about Heroes this term and have thoroughly
enjoyed learning about World War I and the heroes that served to protect us. The children were fortunate to visit Wycombe Museum where they were immersed into the lives of soldiers during the First World War. Their lifelike trench is fully equipped with dramatic lights and sounds. The museum staff regaled the children with tales from the trenches.
The children also learned about how life
at home changed during the war and how
Wycombe and Marlow were involved in the
war effort. They had lots of fun using the
gas rattles made in High Wycombe, and
designing their own ‘Dazzle’ camouflage.
One of our pupils was dressed up in a full
(warm, heavy and itchy) soldier outfit. The
pupil found it so uncomfortable and was
unable to wear the uniform for very long.
This made the fact that one gentleman
from High Wycombe had worn his uniform
for 6 months without taking it off even more
astonishing! There won’t be any complaints
from the children about wearing their school
uniform in future!

9. The Federation of Holy Trinity and Little Marlow
Church of England Schools
Steve Butler - Executive Headteacher
T
he new school year started with verve
and enthusiasm as we welcomed new
staff, children and families into our Federation
family. Two particular new arrivals were our
two new Heads of School. After Mr Williams
departed to take up a headship in Dorset we
welcomed Mrs Field at Holy Trinity. Then in
September, earlier than expected, we heard
the wonderful news that Mrs Healy had given
birth to baby Ruari! While she is spending
this special time as a new mum with Ruari,
Mrs Morris has joined our team as the Head
of School at Little Marlow.
Both new heads of school have brought
enthusiasm and positivity to our schools and
we are delighted to welcome them into our
Federation family. Already both Mrs Field and
Mrs Morris have made positive contributions
to the Federation and we look forward to a
successful year ahead with them on board.
Holy Trinity - Mrs Field - Head of School
W
hat an amazing, but incredibly busy start to the new school year. The
school has been a hive of activity with class WOW Days providing exciting starts to topics for the year groups, together with whole school activities including; Harvest, Jeans for Genes Day, Big Noise and a very special Remembrance Day which included a moving monologue depicting the experiences of a teacher from the school who died in WW1, delivered in character by one of our parents.
Year 3’s year started with a SNAP! Crocodile
Encounters came to visit and brought a
collection of reptiles to WOW the children
at the beginning of their Predator topic.
A particular favourite was the Burmese
Python that the children bravely held around
their necks! After half term Year 3 moved
onto ‘Tremors’ - all about rocks and natural
disasters. The Rock Lady visited the school
and the children became explorers for the
day finding out about different types of rocks
and soils. It was a very enjoyable but muddy
day.
Year 4 had a wonderful trip to Munces Wood earlier in the term where they were able to use different tools to help cut back some diseased ash trees creating more space for oak trees to grow. They had a fantastic time and really enjoyed making a difference to the wood and our community. In school, they enjoyed their ‘Misty Mountains’ topic, locating mountains and mountain ranges in the world and learning about the different types of mountain and how they are formed. This half term they are looking at different styles of music and had a mini orchestra visit who not only demonstrated the various types of instrument but then gave a performance of Peter and the Wolf which will be the focus for a range of writing opportunities.
Ancient Egyptians took over Year 5
at the start of the year, learning about
where ancient Egypt was located both
geographically and historically and about
the famous archaeologist, Howard Carter.
They had an amazing WOW Day with Sir
Teach-a-lot, where they all came dressed
up and discovered many new facts about
this amazing civilisation. This half term they
have been learning about ‘Space’ and were
fortunate to have a planetarium visit the
school giving them an opportunity to explore
the solar system and beyond.
Year 6’s first topic - ‘Blood Heart’ started with
a bang as the children dissected a pig’s heart!
There was a mixture of great excitement, as
well as a smattering of trepidation as they
uncovered the mysterious object.
This year has brought exciting WOW Days as part of our creative curriculum to both schools and the children have thoroughly embraced the new challenges, topics and experiences as Mrs Field and Mrs Morris will explain later.
On top of all the learning activities and WOW
Days in class, we’ve all enjoyed two lovely
harvest festival services in our two churches,
the Holy Trinity orchestra joining a fantastic
260 strong children’s ensemble at the Royal
Grammar School, pupils from both schools
taking part in the Marlow Carnival Parade,
and some Holy Trinity pupils attempting to
break the World Marathon record at the
Sprintathon! Wow!
A busy time across the Federation and our
thanks go to all the staff, parents and children
for making these experiences possible.
Egyptian Day for Year 5

10. Little Marlow - Mrs Morris - Head of School
T
he beginning of the new academic year
at Little Marlow School has been full of
excitement! Mrs Healy welcomed the birth of
her baby boy a little earlier than anticipated
and everyone is delighted that all are well.
I have joined the team and have been
overwhelmed at the warm welcome from
pupils, parents, staff and governors making
me quickly feel at home. To ensure the
children were fired up about their learning,
each class has launched their new topics
with WOW Days.
Our youngest children in Reception class
took part in a super outdoor team building
day which strengthened relationships and
developed confidence. Later in the term,
they welcomed professional storytellers
to the school and enjoyed a day of story
creating and drama in their pyjamas!
Year One welcomed the Fire Service into
school to learn about everyday heroes. They
have been busy writing reports about fantasy
superheroes and heroic personalities. To
launch their ‘Moon Zoom’ topic we borrowed
a real piece of the moon as well as other
meteorite specimens from NASA! Year Two
were lucky enough to go on a trip to Windsor
castle and even had a private tour on the
roof. They are now learning about our local
area and thoroughly enjoyed dressing as
detectives to go on an investigation around
the village.
The new school year has also seen a whole
new approach to the teaching of mathematics
at Little Marlow School. With support from
The Maths Hub at Wycombe High School,
we have launched Power Maths - an exciting
whole class mastery approach designed
specifically to improve the maths skills of
every child and one of only two schemes
approved by the Department for Education.
The pupils love the new resources and
describe the lessons as ‘much harder but
more fun!’.
Once again, the school has immersed
itself in raising funds for charity. Jeans for
Genes and the Food Bank have benefited
from the wonderful generosity of our school
community and gifts galore have been
purchased for our ever popular Christmas
Fayre. Our first performances of the year
took place during the Harvest Service at St
John the Baptist Church and rehearsals are
in full swing for the two nativity performances
held by the school.
To commemorate the 100 years since the
end of the First World War, some children
joined Mrs Morris to lay wreathes at church
on Remembrance Sunday and the whole
school went on a special visit to the church
to learn about the memorial and the Christian
service.
Gasps, noses clasped and murmurs filled the hall but their curiosity got the better of them and soon they were holding the heart and exploring how it felt and what it looked like. This was a fantastic way to discover what the heart looks like and how it works; hopefully something that they will always remember too!
This half term, they have embarked on
their next learning journey, the Victorians
which started with a Victorian day where the
children and staff came in Victorian dress,
and the gym was converted into a Victorian
classroom for the day.

11. Smiles - Mission to Romania 2018 - Photo Album