church letter

Van Gogh

Four years ago, at the beginning of the Pandemic and just before the first lockdown in Britain in March 2020, Olivia and I went to Arles in Provence, France. In fact, in less than a week we flew to Marseilles, spent three nights in Arles including a day trip to Avignon seeing the mighty palace of the popes there. We spent a night with Olivia’s French exchange friend at Aix-les Bains of fifty years standing, and finally had two days in Lyon, exploring the Roman remains for future writing by me on Irenaeus, a 2nd Century Bishop and theologian. Breathless but wonderful.

And now Arles has come to London in the form of an art exhibition in the National Gallery of many of Van Gogh’s best loved works including the Sunflowers. What is clear is that in a life hitherto studded with disappointments, unrequited love, psychotic episodes, a career as a scripture teacher in London and a trainee minister in Belgium, he found two wonderful years (1888 and 1889) of almost pure fulfilment in his time in Arles. The exhibition contains, among many others, The Yellow House, The Night Café, the Triptych with the Sunflowers called La Berceuse, The Stevedores on the Rhone and sketches from the nearby hill of Montmajour. They all show a wonderful talent luxuriating in the warmth and variety of flowers and trees, and an enjoyment of simple things well-depicted, like his chair in the Yellow House. So much more could be said of the sheer exuberance of his work, not least the ever-increasing use of colour which Vincent thought was the future. Sadly, those two years in which he painted some two hundred canvases, a quarter of all his oils, did not last. He was again admitted to a mental sanatorium at Saint-Remy, nearby Arles. Later he returned north again to near Paris where a year on, in July 1890, he shot himself. Now his artworks are valued beyond all others, except Leonardo da Vinci.

In one of the rooms are lines from a letter to his much-loved brother Theo. He wrote from Arles that “instead of painting the dull wall of the mean room, I shall paint the infinite”. In one picture which he painted in Arles entitled, “The Sower with setting Sun”, one imagines Vincent recalling his Bible teaching of the Parable of the Sower and his familiarity with the text. His own sun was setting far too early; but what seeds he sowed of pleasure and joy for countless millions in the exuberance of those years in Arles! He was able to use his great talents to their full extent. Arles and its joy have come to London, if you get a chance, go and see the Exhibition called Vincent Van Gogh Poets and Lovers, and rejoice in his perception and gifts. And be inspired to use your talents to the full, whatever the difficulties.

Patrick Whitworth .

PRAYER FOR TODAY
Hidden God, you are known to me as absence more than presence
yet just occasionally the point of a needle breaks through the fabric of my life,
makes one perfect golden stitch and disappears again into the depths.
It’s not much, but enough to know that the thread is unbroken and for that I thank you.

Rachel Parkinson, District Chair, Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District

Church Contacts

Benefice Administrator: Tamara Laing, part-time at the Benefice Office Email: wbboffice@gmail.com 07359 327072.

Churchwardens:
Inkpen: Charlotte Bampfylde (tel. 669285).
Combe: Tina Fiertz (tel. 668529), Katherine Astor (katherine@kirby-house.co.uk).

Inkpen graveyards on-line

For anyone wishing to view the details of Inkpen's graveyards, including burial details, grave stone inscriptions and the location of the graves, please click here.  Inkpen Burial, Marriage, Baptism and Birth records covering the period 1607 to 1837 can be found on the Inkpen history website, here.

NEWS FROM ST. MICHAEL'S

Special thought this month is of Remembrance. So during the service of Compline which is at 6pm on the 3rd there will be an opportunity to light a candle, which will be provided, in memory of a relative or loved one who died or suffered because of war. Then the main Service of Remembrance is at 9.45am on the 10th and will be led by Colonel Freeman. As always, we will remember with gratitude those who lost their lives so that we might be free. And our hearts go out to all who suffer through no fault of their own in the war-torn world of today. As usual the collection at the Service will be given to the Royal British Legion. The Service of Parish Communion which is at 9.45 on the 17th will be led by Canon Patrick Whitworth.

Looking forward to happier things, our Services at Christmas start with a Nativity Service at 4pm on the 14th, Christingle at 4pm on the 15th, our Carol Service at 6pm on the 22nd and our Family Service on Christmas Day at 9.45am then followed by Holy Communion. More details will be given on the December Bulletin.

Finally, as last year, we hope to form a small Choir for the Carol Service. If anyone would be interested in doing the same this year, please email Christopher Sears at: treasurer.inkpenchurch@outlook.com.

CHURCH FUNDING
We are again appealing to the many people who have given generously in the past and to others who would like to support the upkeep of our church. If you would like to donate to St. Michael's Church Inkpen, please do so using the secure website www.parishgiving.org.uk.

Your donations are vital to the upkeep of our beautiful church which so many rely on for weddings, baptisms, funerals and memorials as well as regular services. Thank you.

church services FOR INKPEN, COMBE and West Woodhay

Other Services in the Benefice are on the Website which is www.walburybeaconbenefice.org.uk

INKPEN
Sunday 3rd November – Compline at 6.00pm
Sunday 10th November – Remembrance Service at 9.45am
Sunday 17th November – Holy Communion at 9.45am

COMBE
Sunday 11th November – Remembrance Service at 10.45am

WEST WOODHAY
Sunday 11th November – Remembrance Service at 11.15am
Sunday 24th November – Holy Communion at 11.15am

Special Family Services and Events this Winter
December 14th 1600hrs - Nativity
December 15th 1600hrs- Christingle
December 22nd 1800hrs - Carol Service

catholic services

Our Lady of Lourdes, Priory Road, Hungerford RG17 0AF Parish Priest - Fr Zbigniew Budyn 01635 40332

Sunday Mass - every Sunday at 9.00am
Weekday Mass - every Wednesday at 10.00am

OBITUARIES

A victorian view - now and then

The images of St. Michael's past and present are shown here