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November 2022 November 2022

FROM THE CHURCHWARDEN
MILBORNE MOVIES

Book of Condolence

During the period of mourning for our late Queen, most public places opened a The advertised film we will be showing in
book of condolence. We had a book open just inside the door at Affpuddle Milborne St Andrew Village Hall is as follows: -
Church. After the funeral people were asking “what do we do with the Book of
Condolence?” One answer I got was “I don’t know” and another answer was
“put it in the safe”. So, before I put it in the safe, I read it. The number of nouns OPERATION MINCEMEAT
and adjectives to describe our magnificent Queen was very impressive. There
were stories of meeting the Queen, of nearly meeting the Queen, of seeing her Friday 18th November 2022 at 7.30pm
efforts transform places, of hearing her sense of humour, of her stalwart Village Hall, The Causeway, Milborne St
upstanding, of her careful restraint. Andrew DT11 0JX
I was at a Polo match where the tradition is that the crowd walk onto the pitch to Doors and bar open 7.00
heel in the divots at each quarter. No, the Queen did not walk onto the pitch but
held pleasant conversation with some of her guests – much more difficult. Tickets cost £5, which includes a drink or an
ice-cream
I don’t have any spare time to watch TV, but when I pass through the sitting room,
the program has so much controversy, antagonism, and challenge that I find it
very unpleasant to watch. I guess it is what sells the story (and the adverts). But It's 1943. The Allies are determined to break Hitler's grip on occupied Europe, and
that is television. It is not the real world. I have a different approach to plan an all-out assault on Sicily; but they face an impossible challenge -- how to
antagonism and aggression than I did in my youth protect a massive invasion force from potential massacre. It falls to two
When I was at school, I was captain of boxing (broke one chap’s jaw, knocked remarkable intelligence officers, Ewen Montagu (Colin Firth) and Charles
one chap out) and captain of Rugby. I played tight head prop for my University Cholmondeley (Matthew Macfadyen) to dream the most inspired and
1 XV. People didn’t used to mess me about. - But the years have modified my improbable disinformation strategy of the war -- centered on the most unlikely of
st
approach. Have you ever sai d to your neighbour - secret agents: a dead man. Operation Mincemeat is the extraordinary and true
“I suppose it is quite tall. I can cut it down at the weekend” story of an idea that hoped to alter the course of the war -- defying logic, risking
countless thousands of lives, and testing the nerves of its creators to breaking
Matthew 18:22 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times point.
shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.

So, at the end of 70 years service, what will they say about you?
What are they going to write in the Book of Condolence at your wake?
Isaiah 9:6 … and he shall be called wonderful …”
Mike Menzies
Church Warden, LWL, Affpuddle

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