MONTHLY UPDATE FROM SIMON

May 2025

Dear Friends

Many years ago Fiona and I visited Reims, in northeastern France.  It’s a city with a rich history – the coronation place of many of the kings of France – and it has a magnificent Cathedral.  It’s at the heart of the Champagne region and a good base from which to explore the vineyards.  But it was also the place where, during the closing months of the War, the headquarters of the Allied forces was based and where, in the early hours of 7th May 1945, the German military leaders signed a deed of unconditional surrender.

That moment in Reims’ history is relatively unknown, but visitors can go to the map room on the first floor of the headquarters building and see the very table on which the deed was signed by General Jodl.  The room is modest in size and there is nothing about it to suggest any kind of importance. But I remember feeling awe-struck at the thought that it was in that place (described by an American war correspondent as ‘the most secret of secret places in Europe’), that the War finally came to an end.  Millions of people, both civilians and military personnel had lost their lives during the five years of its course, and the map of Europe was about to be radically redrawn.

As it turned out, Stalin demanded that a second ceremony of surrender be held the following day in Berlin, within the Soviet occupation zone, and it is for that reason that 8th May is celebrated officially as VE Day.  And of course the War continued to be fiercely fought in the Far East, only coming to an end after the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.  Countless British and Allied serviceman died during the Burma Campaign, and it is so important that their memory is upheld and cherished.  We shall try and find an appropriate way of doing that during the summer.

This month our nation will celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, mindful that there are now very few people left who have clear memories of it.  No doubt many of you will be either taking part in commemorative events, or watching them on television, and we invite you all to come to Harting Parish Church on the evening of 8th May, and join in our own simple, but heartfelt act of celebration.  Just imagine the relief that everyone must have felt, when the air-raid sirens fell silent, the black-out restrictions were lifted, and the threat of danger came to an end.  It will be good to mark that moment and to give thanks for those who contributed to the War effort.

We shall begin our church celebration at 5.45pm on the 8th with a short service in church with some good patriotic hymns.  At 6.30pm our church bells will be rung (thank you, bellringers!), as will other bells all over the country, while we enjoy fish and chips in the Law Room.  At a time when talk of rearmament is in the air, and war continues to be a reality in Europe we should, more than ever, be grateful for the strong sense of community that we enjoy within this parish, while praying fervently for the security of our nation – and the peace of the wider world.

With my prayers and best wishes

Simon

Bible Reading Resources

If you would like encouragement in reading the Bible, the Bible Reading Fellowship (BRF) produces excellent daily notes.  The most widely used is called New Daylight, each issue of which provides four months of daily readings and comment, with a team of regular contributors drawn from a range of church backgrounds. 

If you would like to read a wise and balanced introduction to the Bible, I can recommend a book called ‘How to Eat Bread’ by Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, who is the Archdeacon of Liverpool.  Its three sections explore the different ways in which the Bible has been read and interpreted down the ages.  Perhaps a few of us could form a group to read and discuss the book together in a relaxed way.

Confirmation/First Communion

If any of you, adults or teenagers, would like to be prepared for Confirmation at some point this year, please do contact me.  Alternatively, you may have children (Key Stage Two and upwards) who are too young to be confirmed, but who would like to receive Communion.  If so, they can be prepared accordingly.  God’s table is open to all!

VE Day 80th Anniversary: Thursday 8th May

Many of you will no doubt be taking part in VE Day celebrations early in May.  Lots of national and other large-scale events have been planned over the bank holiday weekend.

The actual anniversary will be on Thursday 8th May, and at 6.30pm that evening, churches and cathedrals across the country are being asked to ring their bells in celebration.

Our own wonderful bellringers here in Harting will be taking part that evening, and before they do so we shall be holding a short service in church to which you are all warmly invited.  The service will begin at 5.45pm (to conclude by 6.25pm) and will include the singing of ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘I vow to thee my country’.  It will be a good old patriotic celebration!

After the service, while the bells are being rung, we invite you to enjoy fish and chips and a cup of tea (or a glass of wine) in the Law Room.  Winston Churchill famously refused to impose rationing on fish and chips, even during the darkest years of the War.  We will need to order them in advance, so if you’d like to reserve a portion, please sign the list that will be placed at the back of the church.