A Reflection from our chaplain Chris . . . .
A sense of wonder

My day starts with a loud roar of gardening tools outside. I look over our balcony and the local council workers are weed-whacking (or strimming or
whipper-snapper-ing, depending where you come from!) our street. Except, I don't see many weeds. Every so often there is a lull as the worker pauses to unravel some more nylon cord, the previous length now having been worn away and lost as micro-plastics on the street.

I have been thinking about micro-plastics recently not least because we
have Bob Sluka, a marine scientist with A Rocha (the environmental
conservation charity), visiting our church on June 15th as our guest preacher.
He will be attending the UN Oceans Conference, held in Nice the previous
week. Micro-plastics is a subject close to Bob's heart.
After a visit to do some marine work for A Rocha in the south of France
some years back, he wrote, 'when you picture the south of France what comes
to mind immediately? For me it is micro-plastics. This area of the world is
renowned for its beautiful beaches and the blue Mediterranean Sea. All true,
but look a bit closer, as we did, and you will find lots of micro-plastics. This
was well-known to a few others, but for us was quite a shock.... The
Mediterranean is one of the most threatened seas with a long history of
people interacting with its water and creatures therein'.

I contrast that with the creation story in Genesis, depicting a planet
teeming with life ('And God said, 'let the waters bring swarms of living
creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.' So
God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of
every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every
kind. And God saw that it was good.' (Genesis 1.20-21)
Many of us have experienced joy and wonder in the beauty and detail of
the undersea world. Unfortunately, this world is degrading. The thing is,
what God created endlessly recycles and regenerates, whereas the plastics we
have created never recycle, only eroding into smaller and smaller pieces.
And we frankly know very little about the long-term impacts (health and
other) of that. That's quite a contrast.

The weed-whacking has finished, and calm has returned to the
neighbourhood. I'm looking forward to hearing what Bob has to say for us.
And I'll be thinking a bit more about my use of plastic. In peace, Chris

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - 25 MAY 2025
The AGM coincided with Mother's Day in France so it was very good to have a large congregation, some of whom stayed for the meeting to learn more about St. John's.

Chaplain Chris Parkman welcomed them all and opened the meeting with a prayer from Psalm 16.7-8.
A proposal was made by Mr Robert Edwards, seconded by Mrs Carolyn Hanbury, that in future any person entitled to vote in elections for church officers, should be allowed, in their absence, to do so by post. It was unanimously agreed.
The Minutes of the AGM of 21 April 2024 were also unanimously confirmed and signed by Chris as correct. It was good to learn that the number of members on the Electoral Roll had increased to 62.
Then followed the Reports given by Chris, Mrs Carolyn Hanbury the
Churchwarden, Mr Robert Edwards the Treasurer, and Mrs Suzanne Prince the
Communications Officer. They were all very positive showing the increase of
people taking part everywhere in church activities:- attendance weekly, volunteering, accepting responsibilities, giving their time, energy and expertise to help the church function in many ways. Both Chris and Carolyn thanked God, and the church as a whole for sustaining us through the year.
Chris brought to our attention praying and hoped we felt the nearness of God in our prayers. He completed his Report by asking people to help in specific roles :-
- a Council Secretary, who can minute meetings and circulate the agendas
and papers (and they can do this by zoom if they aren't based in Menton)
- people to help set-up and welcome on Sunday mornings (it requires
arriving early and a range of tasks to help the existing team)
- There is always help needed for various 'building maintenance' tasks
Carolyn and Chris will know how and explain
The Treasurer's Report was very encouraging. Members had been given a
summary of the 2024 results which showed a surplus of 4.3k – 1.1k higher
than 2023. 'The outlook for this year appears good', Bob said 'but we have a
very old building with an old organ and we need to build reserves for
significant future expenditure.'

Suzanne in her Report thanked everyone who participated by reading a lesson
on Sundays, and invited anyone who would like to help in that, to get in
touch with her.
Online interest grows continually. The most visited pages are our home page,
library, and location – showing that people are curious, searching, and
possibly looking for a new spiritual home.
All the Reports noted that as the community continues to grow, so will the
need for volunteers. Suzanne wrote 'please don't underestimate the value of
your time and talents. Even the smallest act of service can have a lasting
impact.'
The Council elected for the coming year are: Mr George Owen, Mr Robert
Edwards, Mrs Suzanne Prince, and Madame Isabelle Terrier Mareuil.
The re-elected Churchwarden is Mrs Carolyn Hanbury.
Chris closed the Meeting with a prayer of thanksgiving to God.

Monsieur Benjamin Prischi, organist at St. John's Church, playing his grand piano - 'Seiler', a German Make. The model is 'Louvre' built in 1990. To avoid transporting the piano backwards and forwards, a place has been found in the Chancel of the Church in the space below the decorative pipes of the former organ. Look for it next time you are in church. 

We all thank Ben for providing this addition to the musical instruments of the church.

We look forward to hearing him play his piano in concert or with his friends during a Jazz at St John's session.  Next Jazz at St John's concert Friday 06 June 18h30, 15€ at the door.

VE DAY in ENGLAND

As you may remember, last month England celebrated 80 years since the end
of World War 2 in Europe on 8 May 1945 – VE DAY - with a holiday and various events.
Council member George Owen has sent us a photo of his mother Elizabeth, his sister Diana who was just two, and himself almost 5, at a street party in Holland Park Road, Rhyl, Wales, on VE Day 1945. ( Ask George to show you where they are in the photo.)
As you can see, those attending the party were mainly women and children.
George says it is assumed that the men were either at work, still in the Forces,
or in the pub having a pint.
George doesn't remember the party but he does remember the big local
bonfire that evening to celebrate the end of the war.
What amazed me in the photo was the number of babies with their mothers.
Nowadays it would be very difficult to find that number in a street, or even in
a village or small town.
Thank you George for sharing this memory with us.

POPE FRANCIS REFLECTING FROM HOSPITAL
....... shortly before his death
“The walls of hospitals have heard more honest prayers than churches.....
It is in hospitals that you see a homophobe being saved by a gay doctor.
A privileged doctor saving the life of a beggar...
In intensive care, you see a Jew taking care of a racist....
A police officer and a prisoner in the same room receiving the same care...
A wealthy patient waiting for a liver transplant, ready to receive the organ
from a poor donor....
It is these moments, when the hospital touches the wounds of people, that
different worlds intersect according to a divine design. And in this
communion of destinies, we realize that alone, we are nothing.
The absolute truth of people, most of the time, only reveals itself in moments
of pain or in the real threat of an irreversible loss.
A hospital is a place where human beings remove their masks and show
themselves as they truly are, in their purest essence.
This life will pass quickly, so do not waste it fighting with people.
Do not criticize your body too much.
Do not complain excessively.
Do not lose sleep over bills.
Make sure to hug your loved ones.
Do not worry too much about keeping the house spotless.
Material goods must be earned by each person – do not dedicate yourself to
accumulating an inheritance......
You are waiting for too much: Christmas, Friday, next year, when you have
money, when love arrives, when everything is perfect....
Listen, perfection does not exist.

POPE LEONE XIV
Robert Francis Prevost, a North American born in Chicago, USA, is the new Pope. He has chosen to be known as Leone XVI. So much has been written about the new Pope, but did you know he is related to a family that lived here in Sanremo at the end of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th century?
A document has been found in the Pro-Cathedral of San Siro, showing the birth of Giacomo Martino on 1st January 1806 and baptized in the church of San Siro. Sanremo at the time was part of France and the Italian Campaign by Napoleon.
Giacomo's family emigrated to Louisiana when he was 10 years old. It turns out he was the great, great, great grandfather of Robert Francis Prevost on his mother's side. Research is continuing of Pope Leone XVI's connection with Sanremo.

Life at St. James-the-Least
The Rectory,
St. James-the-Least

My dear nephew Darren, 

 Visits from your parishioners are always welcome. But I did not expect them to return to you complaining because our pews are uncomfortable. 

 Pews are meant to be uncomfortable. The unshakeable belief of our congregation is that the more uncomfortable the pew, the holier the worship must be. By the same token, an 8am Service is more fervent than one at 11am, since it is much more socially inconvenient. If you add on enduring sub-zero temperatures and damp, then sainthood clearly beckons. The fact that a twenty-first century body is in constant danger of sliding off the seat and requires knees to be folded somewhere near ears at least helps to keep minds focussed – apart for Colonel Wainwright, who still manages to sleep peacefully throughout Matins every Sunday. 

 I could point out that your chairs make kneeling almost impossible – although I suspect that posture is not encouraged in your church, as people would then be unable to read the words on your overhead projector or wave their arms about quite as easily during the hymns. While the majority of our congregation find the Anglican crouch perfectly adequate, you can see those who flop to their knees on hearing “let us pray” from the clouds of dust sent up from suddenly compressed hassocks, which were purchased to commemorate Queen Victoria's Accession. 

 I may also point out that our box pews are very useful for modern times. Once a family is seated, with the door firmly shut, then any toddler is penned in and unable to use the aisles as a racing circuit. Medieval carpenters were clearly forward thinking people. Admittedly, box pew doors do tend to stick and few manage to look dignified while they wait for step ladders to be brought before they can climb out. 

 If only you would remove your chairs and substitute benches without backs, turn off all heating and replace carpets with slate slabs, I am sure your congregation's religious zeal would soar.  Your loving uncle, Eustace

Coins for Funds

Do you remember 'Barbara's Bottle'

which used to be at the back of the church to collect any current euro or sterling coins which were no longer needed by people returning to their home countries or which were weighing too heavily in their purses? Well, Beatrice has now taken on the collecting of such coins in aid of our Church funds, so please give the coins you no longer want to Beatrice or The Rev'd Chris. Thank you.