Safeguarding Statement

The Diocese in Europe and the Church of England has formally apologised for the inappropriate and abusive behaviour by a former Bishop of the Diocese in Europe, who is now deceased, and failure to follow Church of England policy, following a complaint from a priest who had served in the Diocese.

The priest who wishes to remain anonymous, had alleged that in the late 1970s, when he was a 26 year old Assistant Curate and at a time when he was vulnerable, the Right Reverend John Satterthwaite, who served as Diocesan Bishop from 1970 to 1993, had invited him to his home, on the understanding that there was to be a discussion about a job in the Diocese, plied him with alcohol, made inappropriate comments to him, embraced him and kissed him.

The allegations were not made until 2006 when Bishop Satterthwaite’s behaviour was raised with the then Bishop in Europe. Subsequently a series of meetings and exchange of letters took place between the priest and senior clergy over the following years to try and resolve the issues raised. The matter was finally referred to the National Safeguarding Team and in 2014 to the recently appointed Bishop in Europe, the Right Reverend Robert Innes.

An inquiry to establish the full facts, commissioned by Bishop Robert Innes, by two experienced safeguarding advisers independent of the Diocese in Europe, found that the late Bishop in Europe, John Satterthwaite, had acted inappropriately and in a wholly unbecoming manner to one of his priests in the late 1970s. The facts showed that in the light of the vulnerability of the priest and the imbalance of power between the bishop and the priest, the behaviour was abusive. The facts also showed that the policy of the Church of England had not been followed for although the priest was treated with care and compassion, the issues raised were not treated as safeguarding matters.

As a result of the recommendations of the inquiry a full apology has been offered to the priest concerned. The Church of England and the Diocese in Europe are now working closely with him and his family to provide support as appropriate.

Commenting on the report Bishop Robert Innes said:

“I have apologised to the priest who has raised these issues for the hurt and suffering that he has felt as a result of the abusive behaviour of the late Bishop Satterthwaite. I have also apologised for the failure to see the issues he raised as safeguarding matters. It is a matter of shame and deep regret that any member of the clergy should exhibit abusive behaviour of this kind, it is especially shameful when that member of the clergy is a bishop. Across the Church of England we are adamant that any abuse of a safeguarding nature affecting a child or a vulnerable adult will not be tolerated and that there is no room in the Church for those seeking to perpetrate their abuse.”

What exactly is the Role of a Church Warden?

The post of Churchwarden is an ancient role dating from the 13/14th Century when the church in England was still under the Roman See, and thus is one of the earliest forms of recognised lay ministry. The Wardens were, and still are, the chief liaison persons between the parish and the Incumbent, and the chief administrative assistants of the parish. There is biblical authority for the establishment of this office

The rights and responsibilities of a Churchwarden(s) are laid down in Church Law, and as with most roles within a parish, it is a voluntary (unpaid) position.

In the Middle Ages, the primary function of the office seems to have been that of taking care of the Church building and its contents, including the responsibility of providing for the repairs of the nave, and of furnishing the utensils for divine service.  The Churchwardens then had custody or guardianship of the fabric and furniture of the church, and even today, they are the legal guardians of the church’s moveable goods, such as moveable furniture, plates and ornaments. They are required to keep an accurate, up-to-date inventory of these items.

Over the course of time other duties were added, and Churchwardens became regarded in some respects as the local officers of the Bishop of the diocese, responsible to him for the proper carrying out of their responsibilities. Throughout their long history, Churchwardens have provided an excellent example of the advantages of lay participation in the life and work of a parish.

Most parishes today have two elected Churchwardens who are of equal status. In the past, wardens were of two types: The People's Warden, who was elected annually by the congregation as a whole (usually at the beginning of the Annual Vestry Meeting) and the Rector's Warden, who was usually appointed by the priest incumbent.

In some jurisdictions (but not in England) where a parish temporarily has no priest, is not self-supporting, or in which the parish board has been dissolved, wardens are appointed directly by the bishop and are called Bishop's Wardens. The canons of some U.S. dioceses permit or mandate the election of all wardens, in which case they are usually referred to as the "Senior Warden" and the "Junior Warden."

Wardens serve for a fixed term, usually between one and two years. Upon election, they usually automatically become members of the parish council committee, and sometimes automatically become delegates to the Diocesan Synod as well.

Today, a churchwarden considered the Bishop’s officer. The Bishop may consult with that person about issues affecting the parish during the year. It is also possible that the Churchwarden (s) will need to consult with the Bishop. If a Churchwarden resigns in the course of the year, they must write to the Bishop and not the priest-in-charge.

Interestingly, in England, churchwardens have specific powers to enable them to keep the peace in churchyards. The following are punishable with a £200 fine.

• Riotous, violent, or indecent behaviour in any cathedral church, parish, or district church or chapel of the Church of England or in any churchyard or burial ground (whether during a service or at any other time)

• Molesting, disturbing, vexing, or troubling, or by any other unlawful means disquieting or misusing:

• Any preacher duly authorised to preach therein, or any clergyman in holy orders ministering or celebrating any sacrament, or any divine service, rite, or office, in any cathedral, church, or chapel, or in any churchyard or burial ground.

The churchwarden of the parish or place where the offence was committed may apprehend a person committing such an offence, and take them before a magistrate’s court. Until 2003, the offence was punishable by two months' imprisonment.

The only areas in which wardens almost always have no authority, often proscribed by canon, is music and liturgy, which is considered to be under the exclusive authority of the priest or bishop in charge of the parish. Nevertheless in England churchwardens have authority to officiate at Morning and Evening Prayer if a priest or licensed layperson is unavailable.

What Do Wardens Do in Church of England Parishes?

1. Wardens, together with the Incumbent and Vestry members, are responsible for all aspects of parish life.

2. Wardens must be available to the members of the congregation for information, complaints, or suggestions.

3. Wardens are responsible for the holding of regular services, and for the provision of all things requisite for Divine Service. If there is neglect or inability on the part of the Incumbent to perform his/her responsibilities, the Church Wardens must notify the Bishop as to the situation.

4. Wardens should be in attendance for the visitation of the Bishop or an Archdeacon.

Key Duties of a Warden:

The duties of a Warden are outlined briefly in Canon 5.61. provides more detail.

Church Finances:

The primary concern of the Wardens is to do everything in their power to insure that adequate financial support is provided for the church and that the financial and physical concerns of the parish are efficiently managed.

Wardens are responsible for the collection and receipt of all monies contributed to the church, and with the Incumbent, have joint responsibility for the disposal of all monies, stipends, and debts, and for keeping a complete record of all transactions.

The Clergy's priority is the spiritual care of the Parish and, as much as possible, they should be relieved of such temporal concerns by the work of the Wardens and vestry.

Meeting Records:

Wardens are responsible for the Minute Book of all parish and vestry meetings, and for the book containing all parish accounts and the annual balance sheets.

Budget:

It is required by Canon 5.111 to present to the Vestry for their approval and commendation to the Annual Meeting of Parishioners a budget setting forth clearly the expected expenses for ordinary maintenance, repairs and desirable improvements.

Accounting Records:

The Wardens are responsible for maintaining a proper set of accounting records that reflect, at all times, the financial position of the Parish.

Bank Accounts:

The bank account (or accounts) should be under the direct control of the Wardens. Both Wardens should be signing officers at the bank, along with the Incumbent and Treasurer.

Treasurer:

If it is deemed advisable, the Vestry may appoint a Treasurer, BUT such an appointment does not release the Wardens from their responsibility for the finances of the parish.

Signing of Cheques:

Two persons, one of who must be a Warden or the Incumbent, must sign all cheques.

Insurance:

It is the duty of the Wardens to see that insurance coverage on church buildings is adequate in light of a recent appraisal by an independent firm in the business of doing property appraisals.

Parish Registers:

The Wardens shall ensure that a register is kept in which shall be recorded the dates and hours of all services held in the Church, names of officiating clergy, number of those present, number of those communicating, etc. They shall also provide the Priest-in-Charge with a register or registers in which to record all weddings, funerals, baptisms and confirmations. The Wardens are responsible for ensuring that the number of those present at the regular services is entered into the register.

Requisites for Worship and Sacraments:

The Wardens shall see that all things necessary for the proper and reverent conducting of the worship of the Church and the administration of the Sacraments are provided.

At Regular Services:

In the absence of the Parish clergy, the Wardens should receive and welcome any visiting clergy or lay readers, visitors and newcomers and, if possible, obtain their names and addresses for the Parish records. 

Clergy Holidays:

The Parish, through the office of the Wardens, is responsible for the expenses and honoraria of clerical or lay supply during this month.

The Wardens must report vacation plans of the Parish clergy to the Diocese, and ensure that the clergy actually take the vacation they are entitled to.

Incumbent Vacancy:

If a vacancy occurs, the Bishop and Archdeacon will confer with the Wardens and the Vestry or Parish Council with respect to choosing a new Incumbent.

Church Property:

Wardens are responsible, jointly with the Incumbent, for the care of all property of the Parish including the rectory and grounds and any other buildings on the grounds, ensuring that all property is kept in good repair and insured.

Wardens should keep an inventory of all property grounds, buildings, and contents.

The post of Churchwarden incurs a high degree of responsibility, from both a legal and administrative aspect. It is a key position within the Parish and greatly contributes to the smooth operation of all aspects of the church. Please support the Churchwardens in their endeavours to carryout the duties of this ancient office.

Warning about using a VPN

With thanks to LFN Newsletter 20th July 2015

Meteorite spotted in western France

MANY people reported having seen what was probably a meteorite over the west of France last night.

Images of the actual sighting are few and not of good quality in media and social media this morning (ours shows a previous one), however people have spoken of seeing a coloured light in the sky between about midnight and 1.00 today.

Some say it looked green or blue, another spoke of red balls, turning to yellow. Some compared it to fireworks. Sightings were between about Rennes and Bordeaux, and news site Taranis News tweeted a map. 

One of the staff from the Nantes Planetarium, Linda Brouard, told Ouest France it was probably a meteorite and was likely to have been due to a comet passing close to the sun and disintegrating, causing dust which catches fire in the atmosphere and makes luminous trails. 

Marathon du Medoc a REAL Fun Run

f I had to run a marathon – and having done three, I would think seriously about it first – I would look for one that met certain conditions.

Firstly, none of that urban rushing around city streets, like London, Paris, Berlin and Boston. No, it would have to be through the most pleasant countryside, ripe with birdsong, the skies filled with the soft baggy furniture of clouds, trees gently swaying in a cooling breeze and the heady scents of Nature wafting me along my way. 

Then, you can forget all that over-priced running gear and expensive shoes that don’t make you go one jot faster. No, it would have to be casual dress, fancy dress even, with runners dressed as archetypal burglars complete with swag bag, or onion Johnnies…

Thirdly, I’d replace all the watering stations with a relaxing layout of shaded tables and chairs where we could pause for a while, enjoy a glass of wine, some cheese perhaps, a little paté or foie gras, before rejoining the throng, and ambling along to the next feeding station, preferably no more than one kilometre distant, and with a bus service.

And finally, I’d lop off that silly 385 yards imposed so that the race would finish in front of Queen Victoria. She doesn’t come to many events these days; she’d never notice. Although, come to think of it, those 385 yards have had their uses in the past: it’s the distance I run like the blazes at the start of a race, and then hang on for the remaining 26 miles.

Anyway, where would I find such a marathon?

Well, the answer is Bordeaux; the Marathon du Medoc, to be precise, a race by definition if loose of interpretation that gives a whole new meaning to hydration. It’s not on a par with Tours de France of old, when riders would often pull over for a fag or a coffee and chat, but it’s getting there. Not least because rather than water or energy drinks as the official liquid refreshment, you get increasingly sozzled on some of the finest wine in France.

And – because this is France – instead of power bars, energy would come from gourmet delicacies such as oysters, moules frites, foie gras, cheese, steak and Îles flottantes.

Tempted? Well you won’t be alone.  Last year, with 35 countries taking part, the organisers had to reject over 40,000 applications for the 10,000 spots available to competitors.

According to the official site, the marathon was created in 1984 by a group of fans of the sport, and despite the large number of runners, preserves the spirit of the founders, an event built on health, sports, conviviality, fun. 

Each September, the participants run through the Medoc region, passing spectacular vineyard landscapes and fairytale wine-producing chateaux, some serving as ‘water stations’ where the runners enjoy tastings of illustrious red wines, music, food and other amenities, which collectively constitute the main difficulties that militate against staying on track and finishing the race.

One of last year’s finishers says: ‘After the first chateau, the stops come thick and fast, the wine and food – biscuits, waffles, fruit, sweets, cheese, bread – go down far too easily, and the temptation to stop for an impromptu boogie to the many wonderful local bands stationed along the route is too hard to resist’.

The prize for the winners, male and female, is the equivalent of their weight in bottles of Grand Cru, which must be something of an incentive to put on weight during the race, although personally I would see the winner as the last person to cross the line, not because they did so, but because they actually found it, an occasion no doubt imbued with staggering indifference.

Details of the run at the www.marathondumedoc.com website.

Dr Terry Marsh has written extensively for magazines and produced guidebooks for walkers to the French Pyrenees and the French Alps. He runs the France travel websites France Discovered and Love French Food

Old Fashioned Couche Chaude Reaps Vast Tomato Crops Grown Without a Drop of Water

Pont de la Bourse in Lodève (Hérault) not too distant from
Pascal Poot’s miracle tomato farm.
(Credit Ninane – Wikipedia)

Pascal Poot is a French farmer unlike few others. On the stony, arid and seemingly infertile slopes of his farm near Lodève (Hérault) he grows highly prized tomatoes in abundance without water, fertiliser, pastoral care or pesticide.

His ancient farming technology fascinates French biologists and agricultural specialists who are working to preserve the varieties of seeds he has developed over the years (which include the Poire jaune and Noires de Crimée tomato varieties) along with his ancient and little-used farming methods.

For it is the latter especially that are considered to be a striking success illustrated by the fact that his farm’s soil is so dry and undernourished that the 50-year old oaks on it remain stunted, and gnarled, struggling to reach the height of your average local.

Couche chaude as used by a Brittany farmer

On the day that Pascal Poot showed Thibaut Schepman, a Rue89 writer, around his farm some 50 kms from Montpellier in the southern Languedoc region, he unpretentiously recounted how his thousands of tomato plants, unwatered despite a lengthy drought, unsupported by canes, unpampered by human hand and absolutely without any pesticide or fertiliser, were producing up to 25 kg of tomatoes each.

The secret, he told the journalist — visiting at the end of winter as the farmer prepared to sow his seasonal crop — ¨lies in the seeds¨ but also in the methods used.

Known locally as the couche chaude or warm layering, the technique is very old but almost lost in today’s intensively farmed agribusiness world.

Farmer Poot, 57, who left school aged 7 – is entirely self taught and started working by raising goats and growing chestnuts before turning to his current  passion running his «Conservatoire de la tomate». Here he specialises in producing seeds sturdy enough to grow abundantly in tired and farmed-out soils of the type found in arid, poor regions.

The warm layering method involves placing the seeds collected and prepared from last year’s crop, into layer upon layer of decomposing manure in a greenhouse where the temperatures soon reach 70 degrees C , then leaving them for several days until they  germinate.

This was the same technique used by 19th century Paris vegetable gardeners and one which enabled them to harvest melons in the centre of the capital at the end of spring. Today it allows Farmer Poot to geminate thousands of tomatoes, peppers and aubergines on his farm in a carefree fashion.

This website claims that the method was in fact developed by a food supplier to King Louis XVI who had demanded the man learn to grow asparagus that he could serve year round to his guests irrespective of seasonal constraints).

Manuel pratique de la culture maraîchère de Paris.

This book explaining the layer method was the 

bible of Paris market gardeners of the day (Credit Screen capture)

Once the germination stage is over says Pascal Poot, he just plants them out and ignores them until harvest time.

Sharing his secrets he told Rue 89: “Most of the plants we now call ‘weeds’ are plants such as amaranth or couch that were on the table in the Middle Ages… I have always maintained that if they are so resistant today it is precisely because nobody took care of them for hundreds of generations.

“Everyone is trying to grow vegetables by protecting them as much as possible, on the contrary I am trying to encourage the plants to defend themselves. I started to plant tomatoes in this stone-strewn field 20 years ago at a time when there was not a drop of water to be had.

“Most people think that if you do that the plants will all die, but this is just not the case. In fact, almost all plants in my first crop survived. However the tomatoes produced were ridiculously small. The way round this I found was to collect the seeds from those tomatoes and plant them the next season. At that stage I began to see real tomatoes, around 1 or 2 kg per plant and then I discovered that if I repeated the process over the next couple of years, the outcome was formidable.

“At first everyone around here thought I was crazy but after a while my neighbours saw that I had more tomatoes than they did, and better that I never suffered any mildew attacks. They also noted that my crop cost less because it required no water and no fertiliser. People started talking and some time later the scientists and researchers started visiting.”

One of these was Bob Brac de la Perrière,a biologist, plant genetics expert and coordinator of the environment association Bede.

He told Rue 89: “At the end of the 90s, when we were leading a fight against GMOs, we said we needed to be finding alternatives, so we started producing an inventory of farmers who were producing their own seeds. We found between 100 and 150 in France.

“But the case of Pascal Poot is unique. The least one can say is that he is a man of considerable independence of spirit who follows his own rules and to my knowledge there is absolutely no one else in the field like him. He selects his seeds against a background of great difficulty and stress for the plant, which in turn makes them extremely tolerant, improves their quality and taste and also, because they are more concentrated, their nutritional value. On top of that he grows hundreds of different varieties, very few farmers have such a vast knowledge of the species they cultivate.”

Researchers are only now beginning to understand the biological mechanics behind Pascal Poot’s method and success, says Veronique Chable, a specialist in this subject at INRA Rennes-Sad who has been doing research into the farmer’s selections since 2004: “His basic principle is that we should grow the plant in the conditions in which we would like it to grow. This is something we have forgotten, but it has long been part of good farming sense.

“Today, this is called the inheritance of acquired characters, and clearly there is a transmission of stress and the positive characteristics in the plants over several generations.

“It must be understood that DNA is a very pliable carrier of information, it is not only the genetic mutation that causes the changes, there is also an adaptation, for example involving genes that are dormant but can be reanimated.

“A plant makes its seeds after it has lived through a cycle, so it retains certain acquired aspects. Pascal Poot exploits these characteristics extremely well … genetically his plants are not very different from any others but they have an impressive ability to adapt.”

This adaptability also has commercial value. During the Rue 89 reporter’s visit, several people called Pascal to order organic seeds which he sells to several outlets, including Germinance.

Kevin Sperandio, a seed craftsman at Germinance, explains: “The fact that Pascal Poot’s seeds are adapted to a harsh and difficult environment means they have a tremendous capacity to adapt, for all regions and climates.

“We do not have the means to do this kind of testing, but I’m sure if we did do one comparing a hybrid variety produced by Pascal Poot with your classic organic seeds it would be those of his tomato conservatory that would get the best results “.

In part his seeds are sold illegally, because they are not listed in the official approved catalogue of species and varieties of vegetable , the GNIS- Groupement national interprofessionnel des semences et plants (National Interprofessional Group of Seeds and Seedlings).

This irritates Pascal Poot: “One of my best varieties is the Gregori Altaï. But it is not listed in the catalogue, perhaps because it is not standardised enough for them. Many varieties are like that. Last autumn, Graines del Païs were subject to an inspection by the anti-fraud squad which alleged they found nearly 90 contraventions in their catalogue.

“This principle on which the authorities work, is that you are only allowed to sell seeds that produce fruits and vegetables that are all the same seeds that will always give the same results in any location. For me that is the exact opposite of how plants and seeds flourish their cycles are based on their continuous ability to adapt. The current rules about seeds amount to producing clones but what we are in reality seeing are zombie seeds.”

Story: Ken Pottinger

editorial@french-news-online.com

Read more: Click here

Skydiving Churchwarden

Churchwarden Jan Rainer from Sittingbourne completes tandem charity parachute jump at Headcorn Aerodrome

A churchwarden faced her fear of heights and jumped out of a plane at 12,000 feet to raise money for charity.

Jan Rainer agreed to the parachute challenge after making a remark about doing it while chatting to a group of parishioners at Holy Trinity Church, Milton Regis.

On the day she found herself alongside a group of 18 and 19-year-olds who were also due to do a skydive from the aircraft, which took off from Headcorn Aerodrome.

“They were very supportive,” said the 64-year-old.

The whole experience was more than a bit nerve-wracking though. At one point she could not stop shaking but, remembering her training, she calmed down and listened intently to the instruction of her sky dive partner, Mike Harrison.

Mrs Rainer, of Bradley Drive, Sittingbourne, added: “The whole experience was awesome, I even took control of the parachute once it opened.” 

The grandmother-of-five has raised £1,500 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/Janice-Rainer