‘So come to Worthing sunny and lead a simple life. Be free from care and worry from London’s toil and strife.’ Seven other verses by Owen Edwards include: ‘The sands are safe, the boats are good, the Downs a splendid view. When you return in sunny mood, you’ll say my words are true.’ I had sent these lines on a postcard to a retired teacher.
Between the Christian Palm Sunday, Holy week, Good Friday and then Easter, overlapping with the Passover and through Ramadan to Eid, there are times to reflect on years past and on continuing obligations as we go forward together.
This week I have been reading the new memoir by Lord Richard Harries, former Bishop of Oxford. The book was launched in the House of Lords by our friend Leslie Griffiths, the leading Methodist Lord Griffiths of Burryport.
Richard gave sustained attention to the links between the three Abrahamic faiths of Christians, Jews and Muslims. Leslie and I have cooperated on the benighted population of Haiti, one of the worst places in the world to live.
It was Palm Sunday 1980 when I represented the British Council of Churches in San Salvador at the funeral mass for Archbishop Oscar Romero. For over 20 years when I was overseas in a Roman Catholic church, I would think of writing to Joan Cutmore. She lived in Ealing and Ferring before her last happy years at St Mary’s Residential Care home in Worthing.
She was proud to have lived as long as the Queen. Joan’s Requiem was celebrated recently at the English Martyrs Church. The Thanksgiving for her life was given by Raymond Long, her pupil 60 years ago. He declared her devotion to duty and coolness under fire matched her father who was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry, passing all his team through a constriction while being shelled.
Joan said what she meant and meant what she said. She was a devoted friend. I treasure memories of her banter with the late Father Enda Naughton who retired to Ireland after being a parish priest here and then at Petworth.
She supported her long-term friend Gwen at Greystoke Manor in Ferring; she was supported in turn by our mutual friend Muriel, by retired priests and by the love of the nuns and their colleagues. She spent her last hours praying with a Sister at the Home. Raymond reminded the congregation: “You will never forget your good teachers.”
I will remember the cheerful children at The Laurels Primary school. The head teacher Charlotte Bull and executive head of the Durrington Multi Academy Trust Sue Marooney introduced classes of bright pupils. We had fun playing maths together and discovering how likely it was for two in the room to share a birthday.
Head teachers talked with me about the pattern of education that best meets the needs of all, including children with assessments. I am proud of the achievements at Oakgrove College and at all our schools.
I am committed to helping the world’s faiths to respect and to be close to each other. There are common aims of our domestic political parties. Yes, we compete vigorously at elections, though most of the time we cooperate in defending or promoting local interests, in discussing initiatives best for the community, and how our interests and opinions can contribute to national debate.
I want to help Muslims find a site to create a replacement for the present Worthing Mosque. It would be good one day too for each faith to have their place of worship.
Life is not always calm. I have been out with Sussex police whose dedicated work we admire.
The postcard I sent Joan rightly described the pleasant moderation of our town, the largest in West Sussex. Health and wealth come from the sea and the Downs; the welcome comes from good local people.
