Please Help Us! ( University of Southampton Chaplaincy Association)

Dear Friends,

Unless we act now, the Chaplaincy at Southampton University will be gone.

The Diocese of Winchester has pushed through shocking cuts that will withdraw the funding for the Chaplaincy. Without this funding, the ecumenical Chaplaincy at Southampton will not be able to continue and will cease entirely.

We believe this is wrong.

 

• Students – some very vulnerable – will lose vital pastoral care.
• They will lose a facility that strengthens faith and can save lives.
• A great community – open to those of all faiths and none – will be homeless.

With no chaplain or chaplaincy, many students will have nowhere to turn to for support. We cannot let this happen.
 

You can help us save the Chaplaincy

The amount of money we need to save the Chaplaincy is small. Just £10,000 per year raised by students, parents, alumni and friends of the Chaplaincy will be enough.

This will prove to the diocese that we want and need the Chaplaincy. It will preserve a vital service and a venue that is used by students of all faiths or none.

If 500 people pledge to donate just £20 per year – we WILL save the Chaplaincy.

If 1000 people pledge to donate just £10 per year – we WILL save the Chaplaincy.

Could you be one of those people?

How you can help

Please help us. You can save the Chaplaincy for Southampton students if you pledge to donate.

Please act now, before our chaplaincy is gone for ever. You can donate and pledge your support at

http://www.savesotonchaplaincy.co.uk 

Thank you. With your help we will be extending the hand of faith and friendship to future generations of students.

Yours sincerely,

Alex Jones

Secretary

University of Southampton Chaplaincy Associate

BA Hons History 2005 - 2008

via sites.google.com

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

Etiquette of wearing hats at weddings | Dan Johnson Photography Blog

Wedding hat etiquette

Tuesday, December 22, 2009 Posted in Wedding Hats

Today’s burning question is – when do you take your hat off at a wedding, or to be more precise, when do ladies take their hats off?  The etiquette at a English wedding is that ladies keep their hats on until the mother of the bride removes hers, which will normally be when the formality of the wedding breakfast is completed and gentlemen are free to remove their jackets i.e. when the coffee comes out.

That’s the theory, which assumes that your mother’s not wearing an enormous creation which makes things difficult for the waiting staff, in which case she should take the thing off when she sits down.

In practice, the rule is to follow the lead of the senior ladies present (normally the mums unless the nobility have turned out for a free meal) and not be surprised if they take theirs off as they go into the marquee or just before they go into the dining room.   Watch out in the ladies loo for the seasoned veteran of many a garden party and wedding.   She’s the older lady who will remove her hat, take out the rollers that are in her hair under it, produce a hairbrush from her handbag and in due course return to the fray with immaculate hair, carrying her hat.

Larger more elaborate fascinators count as hats, and if mum’s going to be signing the register as a witness and/or standing in a receiving line air-kissing for half an hour or more, a hat with a down-turned brim is not a good idea.

Finally, be prepared for guests contacting you or your mum for guidance in the run-up to the wedding when they realise that (a) they need to get a hat and (b) they’re not sure when it comes off …

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Some useful info for our wedding guests here on Hat ettiquette. Take notes girls!

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

Sing of the Lord's Goodness

SING OF THE LORD'S GOODNESS

Ernest Sands

Verse 1. Sing of the Lord's goodness Father of all wisdom,
come to him and bless his name.
Mercy he has shown us, his love is forever,
faithful to the end of days.

Refrain: Come, then, all you nations,
sing of your Lord's goodness,
melodies of praise and thanks to God.
Ring out the Lord's glory,
praise him with your music,
worship him and bless his name.

Verse 2. Power he has wielded, honor is his garment
risen from the snares of death.
His word he has spoken, one bread he has broken,
new life he now gives to all.

Verse 3. Courage in our darkness, comfort in our sorrow,
Spirit of our God most high;
solace for the weary, pardon for the sinner,
splendor of the living God.

Verse 4. Praise him with your singing, praise him with the trumpet
praise God with the lute and harp;
praise him with the cymbals, praise him with your dancing,
praise God till the end of days.

Copyright © 1981 by OCP Publications 5536 Hassalo, Portland, OR, 97213. All rights reserved.

via transfiguration.com

I did enjoy singing this on Sunday. It sounded fab in our new worship space.

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

Christmas and January

So Tom gave me an exciting camera for Christmas. This has lead to me
taking pictures of pretty much everything.

Christmas in France was interesting. It was my first Christmas away
from home, and my first Christmas without children running around. At
first I wasn't sure if I liked it, but by the end of the day I was
enjoying a whirl of cooking, eating and drinking nice wine like a
grown up. Tom's sister had been given a labrador puppy for Christmas,
and that kept everyone amused for hours, stealing napkins from laps to
shred, and demanding attention.

It had snowed a bit before we arrived, and so the countryside was a
sparkling crispy white for most of our stay. It was bitterly cold, and
when we went to watch the fireworks at a nearby village on Boxing Day
we were sooo cold!

Since we came back from France, apart from going back to work, we went
to a birthday party, a second Christmas with Tom's mum and family, to
an aquarium a new years party at Lula's and my family party, and off
to Gatwick for bowling and a meal for our Best Man's birthday. I had
such fun! Gatwick has had over a foot of snow and we had a great
snowball fight on the way back to the car!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=7453900&id=286100391

January has mainly been snowy and icy even for us here in
Southampton's micro climate. The last few days have seen the snow turn
into thick layers of ice as the slush melted and frozen again. It is
only just melting now. All the time inside sheltering has seen us
working hard on the Chaplaincy campaign, as we work to get pledges
together for regular donations to the work of the Chaplaincy.

We have pledges of £4050 a year in regular donations and £380 in one
off donations in only a month. We reckon we need about £10,000 to be
taken seriously by the University and the Church, so we're well on
track. About 1200 people signed the petition, and if each of those
gave just £6 a year - A YEAR! will provide more than enough.

If you can help us, please go to http://www.savesotonchaplaincy.co.uk

Tom and I have also been planning weddingy things. Last night we were
looking at honeymoon plans, and we are going to be going to Ireland.
We'll fly from Southampton to Dublin, see some sights and then hire a
car and go on a bit of a tour. Nice and relaxing! i also made the
headresses for the bridesmaids. The big things on my to do list are:

getting fabric for the wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses
get underwear and hosiery
sort out wedding rings
sort out a meeting with the various clergy.

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

Fidelia's Sisters: The Good Book

The Good Book

by Elsa A. Peters

While we search for epiphanies after the birth of our salvation,  I'd like to offer a review of a book that I have learned to cherish with my whole heart.  It didn't come naturally.  I had to literally learn to love this book like a fourth grader forced to write a book report.  I couldn't tell you exactly where it clicked or how this book became like an old friend.  I can only tell you that this book -- the one that we call the Bible -- has been a long-time best-seller in America for very good reason. 

It has songs that sing the deepest of human lamentations.  It has stories that speak of impossible hope.  It has parables that can twist around your mind. It has some women that totally contradict the attitude that the Apostle Paul uses to attempt to belittle them -- although those particular epistles weren't actually written by Paul at all. This Good Book even has a few good miracles that make our ordinary god-sightings look plain.

But, let's review.  This isn't a book filled with simple stories about a God that checked out of the world two thousand years ago.  This book hasn't been shared with friends and neighbors because it was irrelevant to their daily lives.  On the contrary, it has something to say about our lives.  This is a book that forms our faith in each other and in our God. 

I need to repeat that to myself.  I need to remind myself that this is why this book matters to me.  It's not just the strong women or the radical teachings of Jesus or even the fact God created this world to be good that stirs my conviction in this book.  Sure.  I love the stories.  I love the words in this text.  Even when they boil my blood and confuse me, I love these holy words.  I don't care who wrote them.  Okay. I do.  I totally do.  I'm lying.  I care where these words came from.  I care about Biblical literacy as much as Kristin Swenson does, but lately, I find myself wondering more about the people that use these words.  When there are too people using my Good Book to explain things that I don't believe, so I'm trying to remember all of those hands. I'm trying to imagine their papery skin touching this book.  I'm trying to feel the clammy warmth of those that have thumbed through its pages and even notice the dry, winter-chapped skin of those that have studied the words of my Good Book in kitchens and parlors.  I'm thinking about all of those hands from years ago and those connected to the I serve that want these words to make sense.

I'll admit it.  I have a little fire burning in me.  I have a little righteous anger bubbling up because I love these words.  If you were the kind of pastor I am, you would interrupt me right now.  You would gently ask me to describe my anger.  You would sweetly ask, "What does your anger look like?" 

So, I'll tell you.

My anger is red like the ribbons we wore in Maine throughout the summer and into the autumn to demonstrate our hope for marriage equality.  It has tentacles.  I don't know where the tentacles are going or what they touch but it has tentacles because I stood in our state capital and listened to the words I love being used against the people that I love.  I felt the crushing weight of that anger when we lost the campaign to bring marriage equality to my state.  My anger doesn't care that the election is over.  My anger has tentacles that don't  want to go away.  Weeks after the vote against marriage equality, my anger and I boarded a bus to drive all-night from Portland, ME to Washington, DC so that I could tell my own senators not to support any language resembling the Stupak amendment.  Among those pro-choice activists, of which most were young women, I was feared because I wore a collar.  I represented something that they assumed condemned them.

The problem is that Jesus told me to love them.  Jesus told me to love them all -- pro-choice activists, gays, queers, straights, women who have had abortions and the lobbyists that serve them.  My love affair with these words began when I first heard Jesus speak the words in Luke 4:18-19.  I don't remember where I was or who was speaking them.  I only remember how this articulated a salvation I could get my hands on.  Sure, they are just words on a page.  But in that moment, I heard these ordinary words become holy.  They were no longer just words.  They were about the people that I loved -- even if I didn't know them.  These words were holy because they had good news for me and for you. 

So, I'm angry.  I'm angry that these holy words have been hijacked by people that won't even talk to me because I'm a so-called liberal.  I'm angry that there are people that won't look me in the eye when I'm wearing my collar because there are other faith-based voices monopolizing the airwaves.  I'm angry that I have colleagues that don't want to do Bible study together when the sharing of these holy words seems to be the only thing that unites us.

Sigh.

This could just be my tirade.  After all, if you were my pastor, and listened to these words, you might quote St. Francis to me. You would remind me -- as I remind myself -- that sometimes when we preach the gospel, it doesn't require words at all.  And yet, I love these words.  I love them all.  Moreover, I don't want to be angry. I want those words that Jesus read on a scroll to take shape before my very eyes.  It's in this hope that I hope my review goes beyond a tirade.  In this New Year, I'd like to challenge my young clergy women sisters to open our Bibles in uncomfortable settings and talk about these words of hope to people that don't want to hear it.  No matter what, I hope that these words become holy in your our own hands.

Are you an ordained woman under the age of 40? Email youngclergywomen (at) gmail (dot) com to become a member of The Young Clergy Women Project! Members receive access to a password protected online community, monthly e-newsletters, and advance notice of upcoming conferences and events.

“The Jesus Review,” January 2010

via youngclergywomen.org

Identifying and intrigued by this wonderful post I returned to the aforementioned Chapter of Luke:

Luke 4:18-19

18‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.

There is realisation that this is my saviour too. The one who preaches ultimate love has sent me too to love those who need love and set captives free, to advocate for those without a voice.

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

Some Cheerier #savesotonchap news

Want some cheery news? Students, alumni and friends have so far pledged £3630 a year towards the cost of their Chaplain! That's 17% of what we need a year. We're working with lots of ecumenical partners to see if we can increase that to 67% of what we need, which is a great figure.

So if some of you could pledge to donate even £2 a month we'd be even closer to the target goal.

Can you pledge to donate to keep chaplaincy running ? http://sites.google.com/site/savesouthamptonchaplaincy/can-you-donate-to-keep-chaplaincy-running

We're working hard on setting up our Association bank account so if we need to, we can make these pledges real money to pay for the great work Chaplaincy does if we need them.

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

Christmas

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=208881&id=286100391&l=bfeb7d03ad

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Christmassy Things

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Exciting Things - I drove our new car!

We've just got one of these:

or very similar.

It's very exciting. A proper grownup's car with automatic bits and bobs and all luxurious inside. Since we got it I have been desperate to drive it. This is surprising because until now I've not enjoyed my driving lessons or wanted to drive at all.

But the new car has changed all that. Last night Tom drove us to a quiet car park and I had some fun driving round in circles and figure of eights. Then we went on a quiet bit of road I drive along during my driving lessons. I managed to get the hang of the clutch and the brake and didn't hit anything.

It's much much wider than the Fiesta I'm learning in so that will take some getting used to. Other than that I'm very very pleased!

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

For @danbarnesdavies ....

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

Nothing but sex please, we’re vicars . . . | Richard Morrison - Times Online

Sex, sex, sex. Do church leaders think of nothing else? Well, of course they do. One of the smaller injustices of our time is that, with the media dominated by a secular and often sneering agenda, almost nothing is written or broadcast about the Church as a force for social fairness, as a comfort to the lonely and counsellor to the distressed, as one of the institutions still binding local communities together, and as a catalyst and a channel for charitable gifts and deeds. It is all of those things, as even fair-minded atheists admit. Yet we rarely hear about it.

But whose fault is that? If the Church had appointed the well known City PR firm of Satan, Beelzebub, Lucifer & Old Nick to handle its public image, it couldn’t have made a better job of bringing Christianity into disrepute than the clerics have managed by themselves. And all because they seem obsessed to the point of clinical neurosis about knowing (and making a huge fuss about) who’s doing what to whom in the bedroom.

The latest row — into which the Archbishop of Canterbury has stumbled like a blind man into a bog — is over the “lesbian bishop” elected by the American Episcopal Church (the equivalent of the Church of England). According to Ruth Gledhill, The Times’s reliable Religion Correspondent, this single appointment places the future of the entire Anglican Communion “in jeopardy”. Such is the froth of hysteria about sexuality in the upper echelons of the Church that this astonishing claim seems quite plausible.

I’m not a theologian. I may be overlooking something in the recorded sayings of Jesus Christ. But as far as I can recall, the founder of the Church said nothing whatsoever about sexuality — either his own or anyone else’s. We don’t know whether he was gay or straight; celibate, monogamous or promiscuous. Nor what he expected his followers to be — if he expected anything. Mercifully, perhaps, the gospel writers — compiling their chronicles 30 years or more after Christ’s death — lacked the ruthless digging skills and insatiable prurience of today’s biographers. Had Kitty Kelley rather than St Mark been around in 1st-century Judaea, the story might have been racier. But as things stand, there is no justification in the pronouncements of Christ for anyone in the Church to pontificate (I use the word advisedly) about harmless activities that go on in private between consenting adults — even if some of those adults are the Church’s own clerics.

What Christ did apparently say (and, as a soundbite, it’s as potent as anything from the silver tongue of Barack Obama) is: “Let him without sin cast the first stone”. Let’s recall the context. A bunch of zealots were about to stone to death a woman for adultery (they would pick on the woman, naturally). Christ was asked if he would approve this punishment, since it was laid down in the law of Moses. It was a trick question, of course. He neatly sidestepped it. Instead he turned the moral searchlight on the zealots. Such was the force of his argument, we are told, that the persecutors decided to slink off and leave the woman alone.

To me, that’s a clear indication of what Christianity should not be: spiteful and punitive, especially in the field of sex. That’s not a licence for licentiousness (after all, Christ told the woman to “go and sin no more” — quite a challenge!). But it does send a signal that the Church, and society at large, has no business prying into private lives, unless there are compelling signs (child abuse, domestic violence) that someone is being harmed.

Yet the impression gathered by the outside world is that prying into people’s sexuality, and discussing it endlessly, is what the Church’s leading lights do all day. Never mind their core business of saving souls. To judge from some of their public statements, it’s as if the evils of the modern world — genocidal wars, Third World exploitation, grinding poverty, abandoned children and old people — are minor issues compared to the vital matter of whether the new deputy bishop of Los Angeles cuddles her girlfriend at home.

That irritates me. The Church of England into which I was baptised, half a century ago, had many faults. But it was “a broad church”. Spoken or unspoken, its guiding tenet was that theology shouldn’t get in the way of decency and tolerance. It tried to accommodate people who varied hugely in spirituality and lifestyle. To that end it was unwilling — admirably unwilling — to issue Vatican-like diktats and proscriptions about doctrine or morals. If the phrase “live and let live” wasn’t actually written into its creed, it was certainly its modus vivendi. You didn’t judge the person sitting next to you in the pews. You embraced them (albeit in an embarrassed, British sort of way). Why? Because if Christians didn’t embrace each other, how on earth would they convince the rest of the world to do the same?

That tolerance seems to have vanished. The endless sex’n’gender slanging-match tearing the Church apart has revealed real hatred — to say nothing of appalling discourtesy and Machiavellian scheming — among the very people, the senior clerics, who should be setting an example.

They need to get a grip. Down in the grass roots there are thousands of priests and lay people — Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox and Nonconformist, some ebulliently evangelical, some staunchly High-Church — doing great work among the dispossessed and the distraught. If that were the image of unstinting service that the Church presented to the world — an image of an organisation galvanising the consciences and positive energies of the quarter of the globe’s population that professes to be Christian — it would be harder for the rest of humanity to dismiss it as pointless, perverse and prudish.

I can’t help wondering, as a humble churchgoer, why my spiritual mentors do get their garters in such a twist about sex. Whether it’s the Catholics insisting on priestly celibacy (in spite of the mountain of evidence demonstrating what ghastly perversions can grow out of such unnatural repression); or the hardline Anglican evangelicals determined to drive out homosexuals, rather as ancient communities drove out lepers; or the diehard misogynists fighting tooth and nail to stop the “monstrous regiment” of women from rising in the clerical ranks — one has to to ask: what exactly are the reactionaries afraid of? That their own intellectual inadequacies will be exposed, and their “God-given” authority diminished, by an influx of bright priests of different genders and sexual orientations? Or that, in a more inclusive, forward-looking church, they will be exposed as the bigots they are, rather than glorified as spiritual leaders?

The tragedy for the Church is that it is missing a huge opportunity. There are millions of young people out there who are disaffected from mainstream politics but equally dissatisfied with the mindless consumerism and callous selfishness of modern life. You can see that from the numbers flocking to espouse green causes, or to work for charities this Christmas. With so many youngsters thinking deeply about what’s right and wrong for the world, this should be a golden age for Christianity — the most revolutionary of religions. But while the Church renders itself a laughing-stock over sex, it hasn’t got a hope of converting the young. At the moment some leading clerics come across as befrocked weirdos with one-track minds. And I’m not talking about their belief in God.

via timesonline.co.uk

My thoughts exactly. God is love, and we are to love the world as He loves us. Everything else is besides the point.

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

6 Different Ways to Make Your Text and Images Glow [Tutorials] - Flash Web Design and Design Photography | DesignOra

via designora.com

useful info for future reference

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#savesotonchaplaincy - Linked In joy

I posted the following on the Uni of Southampton Alumni Linked In group

Southampton Students and Alumni are working hard to raise money and find funding for the Chaplaincy at the University of Southampton after the CofE withdrew funding. Read more at www.savesotonchaplaincy.co.uk »

I got this response from one member of the group:

Dear Alex et al

I have very strong memories of the strong link I had with David Simpson who was Chaplain when I was at University, and I would support the campaign if your campaign was more informative.

I find it impossible to believe that the Reverend David Stevens will be made redundant and homeless. The almost inevitable solution is that he will be given a different placement, where his wellbeing will be looked after by the Synod.

How true is it that every other University has an Anglican Chaplain? However consider that ultimately it is not the University which is Anglican.

In your article, you state that links and relationships will be severed. Why does not having a chaplain sever these, and whom are they with? The University has a strong relationship with the Parish of St Michael's in the City Centre which will not deteriorate with the lack of a chaplain.

There is no explanation behind the Synod's decision. Why did they make the decision? What is their rationale? I find it hard to believe they have simply cut the post without doing any research on the matter, and without explaining the reason.

What is the exact relationship between the University and the Diocese of Winchester, and how has or will the University respond to this decision?

Does the Diocese or the University own the chaplaincy? From memory, it is owned by the University and they are unlikely to remove the space if it is being used by other chaplains and indeed by student societies.

I realise that you obviously feel strongly about the need for a chaplain, as do I, but I feel that there is a lot more to the issue that you are either ignoring or unaware of. If you can update your campaign appropriately then I will consider supporting, providing there is a clear explanation of the problem and the solution.

Regards

Matthew Reeve
Computer Science 2003

Here is my reply:

Hi Matthew,

Thank you for your comments. Here are my replies:

1. The budget was passed on 28th Nov, removing the funding for Rev.Steven's post. He will be made redundant if no alternative funding has been found. He was told to start looking for another job, but as far as I am aware, has recieved no advice on placements that might be suitable by the diocese.

He will be allowed to continue to live in the house until he decides to leave or the post of Anglican Chaplain is made redundant.

2. Every University has access to an Anglican Chaplain. Not all universities have the luxury of a full time Chaplain, and some like Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan share a Chaplain. This is one idea proposed for Southampton, that the University of Southampton and Southampton Solent University could share a Chaplain

3.The relationship with St. Michaels in the city centre is mainly founded around the University choirs and the music department. They do not offer pastoral support for students on campus, or offer to help with Wednesday communion services, carol services or when students are going through personal crisis in the middle of the night.

4. The synod voted to cut the post because of a £1.6 million deficit caused by parishes in the diocese not being able to or refusing to pay their Parish Share upon which the diocesan budget is funded. Sector Ministry, of which Chaplaincy is a part was cut because it is easier to cut than removing parish priests who have cure of souls. A lot of administrative posts in the diocese are being cut or merged as well for much the same reason.

5. The University of Southampton has traditionally refused to fund a Chaplain or Chaplaincy at the University since it's earliest days as an institution. This is why the Rev. Stevens is known officially as the Chaplain TO the University of Southampton rather than the Chaplain OF the University of Southampton. The University is being approached to help fund the Chaplaincy by both students and the diocese.

6. The University owns the Chaplaincy, and the Ecumenical Chaplaincy rents the building from the University. Without the funding from the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church and the Free Church Chaplaincy Council will not be able to meet the rent and the running costs of the building, the community and their staff.

The University has tried to raise the rent in recent years, has move the Chaplaincy from University Crescent to University Road so they could build on the land, and requisitioned the Chaplaincy Garden to build a Car Park.

Since the Rev. Stevens and the Chaplains started working at the Chaplaincy in 2005 an active community of students have been using the Chaplaincy alongside the regular society user groups. This welcoming and inclusive community has been recognised by the Student Support services as a safe space on campus, referring users of the mentoring, counseling and disability services to pop in for a cup of tea.

The week the diocesan synod voted, the Chaplain could be found in Chaplaincy at 12am talking to a student who had wondered into the SUSU distressed. The security guards of this secular institution found the chaplain having seen in him the Stag's Head and asked him to help this student.

That is why this service is important, needs to be on campus, not based out of a local church and needs to be full time.

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

#savesotonchap The next stages

The diocese voted to remove funding for both the Chaplain and the Chaplaincy at the University of Southampton.

To be honest I feel betrayed. This actually hurts personally, as it says what the Diocese of Winchester feel about students. I quote Rev. Simon Stevens ( http://darksidechaplaincy.blogspot.com/) who was there to defend his job:

"There was then several people who responded. Everyone who stood spoke in favour of the retention of posts, and I had hope of success, but when a woman from Romsey deanery spoke about the fact that we were just going to 'have to pass' the budget I realised that it was going to be almost impossible to secure the funding for my post. Over coffee I overheard one person saying "There are 24,000 students and we're paying for them to have a chaplain, there are 22,000 people living in our deanery and we have 6 vicars and the students aren't paying a penny for one of them."

'Cock' I thought."

A lovely aquaintance, Rachel Hallam (who I hope one day to be better friends with) put it eloquently on the Facebook Group:

" Students should be subsidised by the adult church who have had a lifetime to earn money. We should be cherishing the students, young people and children." and "An earning individual should subsidise supply of religious leadership of those who don't work. Or should we make all those in sunday school leave the church until they can contribute. Pah"

Students are richer than they ever were, but with top up fees and mounting loans, they are still counting the pennies. I have recently moved from being a poor student to a graduate job. To be honest, the money is extremely exciting! Attending a church as an adult where they are building to provide better community facilities, I have been giving to my church regularly.

Students are supposed to become graduates with higher wages. By alienating them as student they are cutting a possible supply of future money. How shortsighted!

So now, feeling like we can't trust the diocese to stick to their word on finding alternative funding, a group of students and alumni have set up the University of Southampton Chaplaincy Trust and we're going to be lobbying the University to fully fund the chaplaincy, like the rest of UK universities do, approaching the Local Free Church Chaplaincy Council to put their half time chaplain money towards a full time Protestant chaplain, and convince the Cof E that if we can do at least some of this, they should let the chaplain's house remain.

We're willing to speak to any press person who's interested. We're going to protest. We're going to go on the road and talk to deaneries about what Chaplaincy means to us.

The diocese were supposed to contact us to let us know the results of the vote and what their next steps would be. The diocese were supposed to involve students in any discussion they were going to have with the University.

Not a word on any of them.

So we're taking matters in our own hands. We're setting up a bank account and people are pledging regular amounts. We're going to ring fence the money and make sure it can only be spent on a Protestant Chaplain at the Uni.

If you feel moved to pledge a regular amount, please go to:

http://sites.google.com/site/savesouthamptonchaplaincy/can-you-donate-to-keep-chaplaincy-running

and please please please keep forwarding on the petition:

http://www.savesotonchaplaincy.co.uk/

We need support and prayers now more than ever.

Please write to the following people:

Vice Chancellor of Uni of Southampton Professor Don Nutbeam c/o Executive Officer: Andrew Wilson
Email: A.M.Wilson@southampton.ac.uk
University of Southampton
University Road
Southampton
SO17 1BJ

Head of Student Services
Email: ssc@soton.ac.uk
Student Services Centre
George Thomas Building (37)
University of Southampton
University Road
Highfield
Southampton
SO17 1BJ

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

#savesotonchap Why The Chaplaincy at the University of Southampton is a Fresh Expression

Last night my virus ridden body was jerked sharply into action by a leaflet put through the door.

It was about the "Fresh Expression" work the Diocese of Winchester is doing in the area. It would seem that these leaflets were put through the door of every house in the diocese.

The irony. The diocese are cutting the budget across the board due to their huge deficit. The Canon Missioner listed on the back of the leaflet will be made redundant if the latest budget is passed.

What really got me is that the community at the Chaplaincy at the University of Southampton is a "Fresh Expression" by their criteria! From their website:

"Fresh Expressions encourages new forms of church for a fast changing world, working with Christians from a variety of denominations and traditions..

As we encourage new forms of church for those who are not already members of any church, we also want to consolidate all that has been achieved in terms of major projects and policy changes at national level."

and from their resource website http://www.sharetheguide.org/section1/1 , a Fresh Expression is:

• missional – serving people outside church;
• incarnational – listening to people and entering their culture;
• educational – making discipleship a priority;
• ecclesial – forming church.

and Fresh Expressions matter because:

"Fresh expressions reach out to a changing society. Lots of changes have created a new cultural mood, to which fresh expressions try to respond. Among these changes:

• people have been turning away from external rules, duties and obligations. They are more into relationships and experiences;
• networks feature more strongly in their lives than traditional institutions;
• diversity has shot up the agenda. People prefer personalised approaches to one-size-fits-all."

From all this we learn that the church is encouraging communities that don't fit our modern view of traditional church. These movements should be about personal relationships, developing from listening to people and engaging with their culture. They should lead to the formation of a worshipping community and help people to be good disciples.

You would think therefore, that the church would be encouraging the work of the chaplaincy at the University of Southampton. It's not a traditional style church. It's a community of students lead by the chaplains. The way the community is organised and run has changed over time from listening carefully to the students who are regular members and from observing the wider student culture at the University of Southampton. There is a large RC worshipping community, and a growing protestant one. Chaplaincy community members are encouraged to love their fellow students in the way that the community loves them. The Chaplaincy is missional in that it serves the students and staff of the University whether they are of faith or not.

Let us consider some case studies:

My own chaplaincy story sees me meeting the Chaplain in the pub at a karaoke evening in the students union, having read his blog and received his e-newsletters. This ticks the engaging in student culture box and use of modern technology to reach people. Then I went for a cup of tea at the Chaplaincy having been personally invited. So relational and personal. I was invited back again and again, and gradually became part of the community. As I felt more comfortable there I started going to the wednesday communion service and I started acting to show the radical love and hospitality I had recieved to other people as best I could. This included volunteering to help at Chaplaincy Events.

The Big Breakfast is a freshers welcome event which has been run for the last few years and developed from a meeting of the Chaplaincy Student Council where the goal was to create an event that would raise the profile of the Chaplaincy and create opportunities for the Chaplaincy to engage with new students and reconnect with existing staff and students. A team of student volunteers cooked breakfast for hundreds of students at the princely sum of £1 each. All the money went to local charities. New students are usually hungry, sometimes hungover and maybe homesick. A hearty breakfast and a cup of tea provided  exactly what they needed. Each time this event has been a success, with all the visitors now knowing where the Chaplaincy is on campus, and seeing a handful of regulars added to the Chaplaincy community each time.

The recent Chaplaincy alumni like myself can tell you that it's a very different place from when we were there, which shows the Chaplaincy adjusting and changing as the community has changed. New things since I left university include a regular cake day where the never ending supply of tea is supplemented with volunteer baked cake. This can be eaten by anyone who happens to be in the building and again has produced opportunities for a conversation with people.

The biggest thing that sticks in my mind is that the community empowers it's members to do the nitty gritty work of loving the world. One time, all the chaplains were out and a distraught student came in looking to talk to one of them about her exam problems. Rather than just telling her to come back later, the students hanging out in the building, sat her down, made her a cup of tea and talked to her until she calmed down, and with her permission prayed for her. Or the time one of the community started having a panic attack in the pub when some of the chaplaincy students were at the pub quiz. They helped the student calm his breathing and escorted him to a safe place, all the while reassuring him and praying with him. 

And the diocese wants to stop funding this?

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

Why the Southampton Chaplaincy is Important to Me

Why Chaplaincy is important to me:

The chaplaincy is like a glorified sixth form common room on campus where people of all faiths and none hang out together. It's the only working example of a Christian community I've come across. Gay, Straight, Jewish, Christian, Atheist and Pagan organise social events, support each other and live love throughout campus. When I say anyone is welcome, I mean anyone is welcome. Which is rare in a religious organisation.

When I was really depressed after a serious of personal crisis type events the Chaplain ended up inviting me to the chaplaincy for a cup of coffee after a chance meeting in the Union pub. I have debated politics, philosophy, religion, ethics and Star Wars long into the night.

There I found this amazing group of people who loved me and looked after me and helped me. One of the Chaplaincy Groupies as they're known sat up late with me into the night till 4am when I was going a bit manic. Others helped me deal with my demons about church leftover from an awful relationship by walking out of services with me, talking with me about why I couldn't face church. People cooked meals and brought flowers. Invited me out dancing and to the pub.

And when I became an active member of the community I did the same. It's the reality of Christian living. It's something I would want everyone to experience.

The chaplaincy raises money for local charities, has cooked breakfast for £1 for anyone who wants to come in and eat it during freshers week feeding hundreds of homesick new and old students. Simon, the Anglican chaplain has sat talking with me for three hours and tested me on my revision. I have met friends there that will last me a life time. I met my future husband there. I learnt the importance of social action there, about the Student Christian Movement.

The idea of this place not being there for other students horrifies me. All the people who don't feel like they fit in anywhere else seem to end up at Chaplaincy where they are welcomed in with open arms and included. People like me.

http://www.savesotonchaplaincy.co.uk/

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

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Petition Against the Closing of the Chaplaincy at the University of Southampton and the removal of the Anglican Chaplain

If the latest Budget is passed by the Dioceasan Synod (the council that runs the CofE in the Winchester area) all ministry that is not Parish ministry will be cut to help decrease the deficit. This will see the following posts being abolished:

1. Chaplain to the Deaf
2. Chaplain to the University of Southampton
3. Chaplain to Southampton Solent University
4. Chaplain to FE Colleges in Bournemouth and Poole.

We would like to express our objection to this motion in the budget. Whilst we cannot comment on the ministry of 1, 3 and 4, cutting the Chaplin to the University of Southampton will do the following:

1. Make the Reverend Simon Stevens redundant and homeless with a young family of a wife and three small children. We consider this a highly un-Christian thing for the church to do, and
indeed unacceptable by any moral compass.
2. Make the University of Southampton, a prestigious and large university one of two universities in the country without an Anglican Chaplain(the other being Southampton Solent university.
3. Have serious ramifications on the provision of any Chaplaincy on the University of Southampton grounds as the Anglican community provides the largest part of the financial backing.
4. If Chaplaincy leaves the University, important links and relationships will be lost. It would be hard for the Chaplaincy to return to the University at this level.

The work of the Chaplain and the Chaplaincy are inseparable. The Chaplain has saved many lives directly and indirectly, has brought many people to new, renewed or strengthened faith though his work, and the chaplaincy work, which has come about because of his ministry. There have been thousands of students on campus today touched by the work of the Chaplain and/or Chaplaincy, who otherwise would have no contact with the church, and may have had no where to go for support. There are many more Alumni who have know this, and we would hope, many future students who could be similarly touched

The end of the Ecumenical Chaplaincy at the University of Southampton would see the end of a vibrant and growing ministry amongst students at the University. The following groups would be without a suitable venue for various activities:
The Christian Union
The Student Christian Movement
The Jewish Society
The Catholic Society

The Chaplaincy is used by a large community of students of all faiths and none as a safe space on campus and as a a venue for social events. On any given day during term time, students can be found working and socialising the Chaplaincy or using the services of the Chaplains such as bible studies and confidential conversations on spiritual and emotional matters. Vulnerable students are often referred to the Chaplaincy as the Chaplaincy community is a welcoming space for them. In recent years user groups have had to find alternative venues for large meetings as the community has grown through the work of Rev. Stevens and the other Chaplains. Perhaps more prevision for the Chaplaincy should be being sought not less!

We recognise that in these tough times a compromise needs to be met. Suggestions include
merging the Southampton and Solent Chaplains Roles
making the Role of Chaplain part - time
merging the currently vacant Free Church Chaplain role with the Anglican role to make a single Protestant Chaplain.

Please sign your full name and leave your email address if you would like to express your support for the Chaplaincy at the University of Southampton.

Name: *

Email: *

Message of Support for the work of Rev. Stevens and the Chaplaincy

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Posted via email from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo 17 - The Womens Room

via thewomensroom.typepad.com

I'm really enjoying this blog which Jane Brocket linked to today.

I want to be these people when I grow up.

I'm also loving http://www.penciltalk.org/

As you can see from my blog roll I have soft spot for blogs on specialist subjects. I find them utterly fascinating.

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo 16 In which I feel like I achieve something

I have attacked the SCM marketing strategy document with relish this evening. I hope I've covered all bases and given the General Council lots of things to do.

Unfortunately, I can't go to the SCM gathering in Wrexham as it clashes with my Dad's 50th birthday party and I have to go be useful at home. Not that I don't want to go to Dad's party. I'm doing the music and people are coming from all over. It's just a shame it clashes. So someone else will be presenting my document, and Tom will be working at the Gathering that weekend.

It does mean I have the day off on Friday which I sorely need. I shall sleep in the car on the way to Westbury and try not to think too much.

Today has been ok, work was manic and I enjoyed Jive this evening as it helped me destress a bit. We had some exciting news this evening. We might be getting a new car, and putting me on the insurance, even with my provisional license, brought the price down considerably! Ahh the joys of having breasts!

Now I am relaxing eating pomegranate seeds that Tom, the kindly slave that he is peeled and processed for me whilst I worked away at my strategy document. He really is rather lovely.

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo 13 +14+15 Dancing Dancing Dancing Woo Dancing

Friday I rushed around getting to leave work early to steward at the Church Open evening. My T-shirts were a success, and my banner looked good billowing in the wind like a sail.

The redevelopment of the church is beautiful. It's so light and airy, with such useful spaces. The worship space is very flexible and you could even have a service in the round!

Our wedding photographer, Suz came to look at the space and show me some of her work. She kindly took some pics of the building and one of me and Tom posing where we will be saying our vows in our everyday clothes. I think it will be a nice shot as it's a marriage in the making in a building site.

We helped out at church till 8:30, then rushed home, put on our glad rags and walked up the road to catch the bus into town for some dancing. We wanted change for the bus, so I broke up my tenner by buying chocolate and flapjacks in Somerfield which we nibbled on in the queue.

John, Emma, Marmers and JClaw met us at the Wine Bar in Bedford Place and we spent a fun hour or so drinking spiced rum and ginger ale and chatting away. I was quite surprised at how empty the Wine Bar was given it was a Friday night, but that meant it was perfect for us! A couple of drinks later and we were in the queue for Reflex, the 80s night club. Coats were checked and dancing to the best cheesy music ensued for many hours. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've not been out dancing for a long time so it was a pleasant change from the normal routine. We walked home in the wind and rain and sat chatting till 3am. Tom and John even made us a curry!

Saturday morning saw me trundling up the road to see Thirza, and Christmas shopping with Emma in town. I found some purple flowers on alice bands in Primark for £1 and snapped up 4 of those for bridesmaids headdresses. I whipped up a test one tonight and it looks quite good, with some crystal beads, green ribbon roses and peacock feathers.

Today I had a wonderful sing at church. It helped that we sang songs I knew like Crown Him With Many Crowns. Singing makes me feel like I'm rising out of myself a little bit, soaring on the music!

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo11+12 BLAH!

Right, so now I've missed a day I don't feel so guilty for my half hearted posts.

Yesterday I left a poorly Tom in asleep with some mystery bug and dragged myself into work. I don't know if it's seasonal affective disorder or just the blahs, but I have been finding getting up and out of bed increasingly difficult. The cycle to work leaves be achey all over and at the end of the work day I am drained.

Maybe I need to eat more healthily, or exercise more or something. I'm not really sure what to do. I don't eat badly, and I cycle at least 30 mins most days, go to jive lessons and to the gym once a week. I don't seem to have time to do anymore exercise. I've been trying to do my pilates dvd when I can, but it always comes back to time. I don't think I've found a form of exercise I actually like besides dancing. I don't have enough room in my living room to dance for my exercise, and I don't have a enough free time to go to anymore dance lessons. Ideas anyone?

After work I rushed home to complete the two remaining stewards t-shirts for Friday, and then a much recovered Tom and I went to SCM to hear Nick Hutchinson, the youth worker from Highfield speak about the Israel Palestine conflict from a historical perspective. He did so in a very balanced way, and had some good suggestions on how as Christians we can help support the everyday people on the streets of Jerusalem such as supporting the work of http://www.holylandtrust.org/

After a week of church preparations, next week will see me putting together a marketing plan for SCM national, a letter to invite organisations to the SCM national conference and putting music on the laptop for my dad's 50th birthday. How did my dad get to be 50?

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo10 Church Sewing

The HUUUGGEE Banner is one iron on transfer away from being done.

Lula came over last night to keep me company whilst Tom worked late and she kindly helped me by cutting out letters to applique onto the Stewards T- shirts. I have sewed two and I am on my third out of eight. It's quite hard work, but I'm really enjoying it. I find the chug chug chug of the sewing machine extremely comforting.

It's a bit like the chug chug chug of keys on keyboards that soothes my ears at work.

This evening we're going to talk to the restaurant where we're having the meal part of our wedding reception which is very exciting. Then I shall be going to play hairdressers with Thirza, and then home to my sewing machine.

I always find it interesting how I must cram every hour of my day with stuff. I hate quiet dead periods.

I enjoyed my short stroll at lunchtime today. Peering through the windows of the Varsity that's being refurbished I saw a soft muted palette of work men in white overalls caught in a still life of eating their lunch and chatting. It was like a modern day Vermeer painting.

How beautiful!

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

Na Blo Po Mo 9 - Loving this Today

via youtube.com

Absolutely love this, swing covers are great!

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo 6 7 8 Off to London!

There will be radio slience for Days 7 and 8 as I am off to London with Andy, Todd, John and Tom for one of our semi annual adventures.

We shall eat out this evening I expect once we have all arrived. If it is early enough I shall try and convince the chaps to come to http://www.completehero.com/ as Nathan Fillion is speaking and I want to see him!

Tomorrow will be the Moctezuma Exhibition at the British Museum http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/all_current_exhibitions/moctezuma.aspx We go so often to see the changing exhibitions I really think I should buy membership or convince Tom to buy it for me as a Christmas Present.

I would also like to go and look around VV Rouleaux http://www.vvrouleaux.com/ for weddingy bits.

On Sunday we'll go and look around the London Transport Museum http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/

Mr. Todd is the man for making all this happen.

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo 5 - Exciting Finds

Our parish isn't very cash rich, but the people are still extremely generous. In a bid to raise money people have been donating things for the parish ebay account. We've had rice cookers, steppers, china, dolls and more.

But there's this book. Oh my the book. When I was handed it, I actually was lost for words. 

A plaine and familiar exposition of the Ten commandements  With a methodicall short catechisme, containing briefly the principall grounds of Christian religion by John Dod

The publishing date is 1625. I'm not convinced that it's actually 400 odd years old, it could be a later re print as another work seems to be bound with it. The endpapers seem to have been used to practice handwriting and to test pens. Basically, it's fantastic. And I'm at a loss at what to do with it. I know there are book sellers who specialise in rare and antique books. I shall I have to investigate one.

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo4 How much can I make in one day?

I am helping plan the open days for the Church of the Ascension, Bitterne Park building project. The church is converting and extending their existing building to make better use of the space and provide meeting rooms and a cafe for the local community. As we're nearly there with the building work, we're inviting people to come and have a look.

I'm looking after making a display on the Parish ebay account, the name the cafe competion, the steward's shirts, and a giant sign for the out side. After the meeting tonight, I got home and started sewing my sign. Appliquing on large letter in random pink and red fabrics to a bed sheet is tiring work. I had to round it up before I'd finished as it was bedtime, but I should finish it this evening. Then I need to find a marker pen that doesn't bleed so I can write the other information on it, having exhausted my scrap fabric supply.

I also need to create some logo designs for the new centre. It's all very exciting. I love being involved in a big project!

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo 3 - Fantastically Busy

Had a fantastically busy day today.

But the evening was joyous. I helped one of Tom's friends from college choose what style wedding veil she wanted.

And then I made it!

We went for a drop veil with a scalloped edge. Not too full on the head and with a comb. She's going to choose some beads to go in the scallops and then some to be scattered over the veil itself. She will make a lovely bride. I made a pretty box for her to keep it in as well as part of my trying to finish every job to the highest standard.

I used some of the offcuts to make a tulle bow for the box, and that got me inspired. I made a tiny tulle bow to go on a hair pin and I made
a birdcage veil with roses at the back. If anyone is interested in the bird cage veil let me know!

I may even start taking bespoke orders. It was sooooooo much fun. I really need to invest in some sewing scissors to make sure I can cut as cleanly as possible.

NaBloPoMo 2 - Hallowing the Small Things

One of my favourite lines of liturgy in the service used at my church is "may God hallow the small things" I think this is said after the offering is give but I may be wrong.

When researching for my dissertation I spent some time considering women's work in society in ancient times. One of the more charming ideas I came across are prayers and meditations on relating to the daily work of women. These effectively turned everyday tasks into worship.

Whether or not you are relgious, I think it is good to consider the work you do from housework to your career. It is good to work mindfully considering your actions and words. I think it helps me feel fulfilled in my life to think of even the littlest things being worth while and special.

I am someone who is quite slapdash with the finish of things. I'll knit somthing carefully, then sew it up quickly because I want it finished. I'll cook nice food but serve it sloppily because I'm hungry. Obviously, this doesn't lead to the best results, mearly good enough results. So carefully considering what I do as I do it helps me see my task to it's conclusion

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

NaBloPoMo 1 - Pumpkin

The first of November saw me tidying up party food and drinks at the Chaplaincy dressed at Kaylee from Firefly. I'd had the most charming afternoon sewing two pairs of combat trousers in to a khaki jumpsuit, finding an purple patterned top and twirling my hair into two bedknobs. I'd also made pumpkin rock cakes and pumpkin bread for the SCM pumkpin party.

Alas I didn't win the bake off, but I enjoyed dressing Tom as Book and Lula as Inara from Firefly and watching fun films with the SCM crowd.

Today, Tom and I went to church at St. Christophers in Thornhill, the parish with which the Southampton SCM has a link. The church family at St. Christophers really feels like a family, everyone knowing everyone else's name and people coming to the service especially to see us again and catch up since our last visit. We had a lovely lunch with the vicar and his wife and the curate and discussed everything from the X Factor to Nuclear Physics.

I found it especially interesting talking to Anne about being a vicar's wife. Tom might be going to be a vicar, so I may end up a vicar's wife. She said that you have to throw yourself into it wholeheartedly to get the most of it, and it is hard having a husband who cannot commit to any family event. Nevertheless the benefits are enormous and it is extremely rewarding. It's something that fills me slightly with dread, as if I am honest with myself, I am quite selfish. I like to have time alone to do me things, and I like to spend time with Tom alone at least once a week. Still, nothing is certain yet, so I should have plenty of time to get used to the idea if it is going to happen.

Now I think I shall knit a little more and go do some pilates.

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

I like this Issuu thing!

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

Weddingy things

I have been really enjoying planning the flowers for the wedding. We've found a lovely Southampton florist called Jackie who has been really helpful.

I have also been drooling over flowers on the Flower Design St Annes's Blog. Their stuff is amazing. I didn't realise how much I enjoy greenery and foliage in flower arrangements, so we're going to be including lots of green and structural textures.

The red bouquet is my inspiration at the moment on shape and style. The lovely Ruth leant me her wedding planning scrapbook and this bouquet caught my eye.

Jess came down to stay last weekend and we had a fantastic time. We went to dinner at Dock O the Bay, one of our possible reception venues. The food there was awesome, and we had a great evening with Louisa chatting away and sounding like food critics. Jess is making our wedding cake and she had brought us 7 different cakes to try. It is such a hardship this getting married malarky. We had:
Maderia Cake
Lemon Maderia Cake
Chocolate Maderia Cake
Rich Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Celebration Cake
Light Fruit Cake
Dark Fruit Cake.

Tom was surprised as he liked the light fruitcake, normally being a fruitcake hater. So we're having a large light fruit cake tier, a maderia cake tier, a chocolate tier of some kind and a rich fruitcake tier. Tom wants to do the thing where you keep the top tier for your first born's christening. This from a chap who doesn't want children for 7 years or something! The top tier will be a very alcoholic rich fruit cake then....

I have also been experimenting with wedding hair. I'm not sure if I want it up or down, but I liked this chignon I created.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

One of my fave pieces of music

listen on posterous

Hallelujah by the Vitamin String Quartet , a cover of the song by Paramore

Posted via email from Alex E Jones

You look where they look | UsableWorld by @jamesbreeze

via usableworld.com.au

So if I point a face at my key text, people will read it? Awesome!

Posted via web from Alex E Jones

Autumn Veg Bake

I invented this at last night to use up what we had in the fridge. Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 slice stale bread
1/4 large marrow
1 ear of fresh corn or one can of sweetcorn
2 large carrots
2 tbs flour
2 tbs butter
2 chicken legs
Milk
Cheese
Mustard
Salt and Pepper

Equipment:

Saucepan
Oven Proof Dish
Bowl
Slotted spoon
Wooden spoon
Oven

Method:

Pre heat oven to 150 degrees C

Peel the carrots and boil, remove from water with slotted spoon and
put in oven proof dish with corn.

If using fresh corn, cut the corn off the cob.

Place chicken in water from carrots and boil until cooked. This can be
done in the microwave. Shred and add to oven proof dish.

Peel marrow, remove seeds, and then use vegetable peeler to peel
strips of marrow like taglietelle. Add to oven proof dish. Season
contents of dish with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

Toast bread and then crumble in a bowl.

Make cheese sauce by melting butter and adding flour to form a roux.
When golden, add milk slowly and stir over a low heat until all milk
has been absorbed and a thick sauce is created. Take off heat

Add 2 tsps mustard to sauce and grate cheese into sauce. Stir and
taste, if not cheesey enough grate more cheese in.

Pour sauce over content of dish, sprinkle breadcrumbs on top add more
salt and pepper, then grate more cheese on top.

Bake in oven for 45 min - 1hr or until crust is golden and contents is bubbling

Posted via email from Alex E Jones